CARACALLA with JULIA DOMNA
AD 198-217
AE28. 13.41g, 28mm
MINTED: MOESIA INFERIOR, Marcianopolis, circa AD 198-217
REF: Varbanov 1010
OBVERSE: ANTΩNINOC AVΓOVCTOC IOVΛIA ΔOMNA, laureate head of Caracalla and draped bust of Julia Domna facing one another.
REVERSE: VΠ KVNTILIANOV MAPKIANOΠOΛITΩN, Athena standing left, holding patera and poppy; serpent-entwined tree to left, shield and spear to right; Э in right field.
 
Notes:
Lovely deep jade green patina. 
A scarce type with an interesting reverse.  While the owl is the animal most often associated with the Athena, ancient statuary and pottery also often show the goddess accompanied by snakes, who were associated with the earth, fertility, death, and rebirth. In some Greek traditions, Erichthonius, a legendary king of Athens who was adopted by the goddess Athena, was born half human and half snake, and had a snake as his symbol.
 
Provenance:
Ex Roma E-sale 22 (28 Nov 2015), lot 382
 
Historical Notes:
Marcianopolis, located in present-day northeastern Bulgaria, was a Moesian city founded by Emperor Trajan and named after his sister, the empress Marciana.  It had pleasant nearby hot springs and was blessed with an advantageous location between ports on the Black Sea coast and cities further inland such as Nicopolis.  Despite being affected by Gothic incursions into the region in the mid 3rd century, Marcianopolis continued to thrive and was the largest city in Thrace in the 4th century.  In AD 447, it was sacked and destroyed by the armies of Attila the Hun.