Elagabalus, denarius, silver, reign 218-222, minted 218-222

Elagabalus, denarius, silver, reign 218-222, minted 218-222, weight 3.23 g, diameter 19 mm. Obverse: laureate bust of Elagabalus facing right; legend IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG. Reverse: the emperor standing left, holding sacrificial twig and offering from patera over a three-legged altar; star in left field; legend SVMMVS SACERDOS AVG. Strike: hammered; generally well-centered with full legends visible. Toning: light silver-gray with scattered darker highlights in recessed areas. References: RIC IV Elagabalus 146; also cited in BMCRE 184-186 and RSC 275. This denarius was issued early in Elagabalus’s reign, when the young emperor emphasized his role as chief priest (summus sacerdos) of the Syrian sun-god Elagabal, whose cult he attempted to elevate in Rome. The reverse imagery of the emperor performing sacrifice underscores the religious policy shift of the period, while the star alludes to the celestial nature of the deity. Silver denarii like this circulated widely across the empire, providing both propaganda for the new religious agenda and hard currency during a brief but turbulent reign that ended with Elagabalus’s assassination in 222.