Potin Tetradrachm - Carus - Alexandria - Eagle Reverse

This billon tetradrachm was struck at Alexandria under Carus, who reigned from 282 to 283 AD. The regnal date L A in the fields marks it as a first-year issue, dating it to 282 AD. The obverse shows the laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Carus viewed from the front, with a Greek legend giving his imperial titles, in keeping with Alexandria's long tradition of striking its own Greek-legended coinage separate from the rest of the empire.

The reverse depicts an eagle facing right with closed wings, its head turned right, holding a wreath in its beak, with a stalk of wheat beneath its wing. The eagle is a standard emblem of Zeus/Jupiter and imperial authority, and the wreath it carries suggests victory or honor conferred upon the emperor. The wheat stalk alludes to Egypt's agricultural abundance and its role as a grain source for Rome, pairing the theme of imperial legitimacy with the prosperity of the province.

18.5 mm

7.95 g