VALERIAN
AD 253-260
AE Hexassarion. 16.65g, 28.3mm
MINTED: CILICIA, Anazarbus, AD 253-260
REF: Cf. SNG BN 2155-6 var. (laureate, same rev die); cf. SNG Levante 1516 var. (same)
OBVERSE: ΑΥΤ Κ Π ΛΙ ΟΥΑΛΕΡΙΑΝΟC CE, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
REVERSE: ANAZAPBOY / Γ Γ / ΕΤ ΒΟC / T A M K, Dionysos seated left, head right, on back of panther right with head reverted.
 
Provenance:
Ex Vineyard Collection; ex CGF, 12 December 1998, lot 365
 
Notes:
Well-centered. Attractive earthen green patina.  
The legend A M K on the reverse abbreviates in Greek the declaration that the city of Anazarbus was "first", "greatest", and "most beautiful".  Its rival in the region, Tarsus, also used A M K on their coins.  
Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, revelry, and ecstasy, was a prominent figure in ancient Greek mythology. He was often shown reclining on a panther, or riding a chariot pulled by panthers, in ancient art and coins. These depictions symbolize his association with the wild and untamed aspect of nature, as panthers were considered creatures of the wilderness. Dionysus embodies the hedonistic aspects of life, celebrating joy, pleasure, and the uninhibited pursuit of desires. The imagery of Dionysus with a panther reflects his connection to the primal and instinctual forces of both intoxication and liberation.
 
Historical Notes:
Anazarbus in Cilicia, located in southeastern Asia Minor, was a large city that reached the height of its prosperity during the 3rd century AD, when it rivalled in significance even Tarsus, the provincial capital of Cilicia.  By the time of Diocletian (AD 285-305), its importance was such that the province of Cilicia was divided into two, and Anazarbus was accorded the position of capital of Cilicia Secunda.  The city possessed a theatre, stadium, necropolis, a triumphal arch built during the Severan era, and also an acropolis set up on a crag six hundred feet high that towered over the city.