The Kilikarchia was a provincial magistracy in the Roman province of Cilicia during the mid-2nd to mid-3rd century AD, as evidenced by epigraphic and numismatic sources. Today's coin from Cilicia is one of those numismatic sources from Tarsus, Cilicia issued in the name of Elagabalus.
This is a very rare Roman Provincial coin, with about 10 known, that refers to the administration of the imperial cult in Cilicia and the competition for the emperor's favor in provincial cities.
Cilicia, Tarsus. Elagabalus. AD 218-222. Æ 6.11g 23mm
Obv: AVT KAI M AVP ANTWNEINOC ("Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus"), laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev: TAPCOV THC MHTROPOLE ("Of Tarsus, the Metropolis"), Cilicarch crown decorated with seven imperial portraits, ЄΛ, and KOIN monogram; A/MK in the center of crown
Ref: Ziegler 732, SNG Levante 1079, RPC VI online 7073. From the Jay Smith Collection of coins of Elagabalus, ex Demos E-Auction 4, 26 September 2021, 402.
A few features to note:
"A M K" in the middle of the reverse boasts: #1 Greatest and Most Beautiful" (A - Greek #1, M - μεγίστης, K - καλλίστης)
Seven imperial busts: which unfortunately cannot be identified more specifically although clearly the one clockwise from ЄΛ looks very Septimius Severus from his beard.
Two monograms on the crown that can be decoded as: ЄΛ and KOIN monogram to ЄΛЄVΘЄPON KOINOBOVΛION (“free session of the assembly”).
The Cilicarch was civic and religious magistrate tied to the koinon (provincial council) and the imperial cult, particularly in cities with the title of metropolis and holders of neokoria (cities granted the right to establish temples for the emperor's cult). Kilikarchai (holders of the office) often presided over the provincial council and were responsible for organizing festivals and games in honor of the emperor.
The busts on his crown varies considerably from depiction to depiction, are those of the emperors and empresses who were honored in those provincial temples. Many other examples can be seen in Roman Provincial Coins from a range of emperors: Commodus (180–192 AD), Septimius Severus (193–211 AD), Caracalla (211–217 AD), Macrinus (217–218 AD), Elagabalus (218–222 AD), Severus Alexander (222–235 AD), Maximinus Thrax (235–238 AD), Gordian III (238–244 AD).
Here are three examples: this earlier coin (not my coin - RPC 84728) from Caracalla with seven heads.
Another coin (not my coin - RPC 7085) from Severus Alexander shows Nike raising the Ciliarch crown over her head.
And this coin (not my coin - RPC 7060) from Elagabalus shows a crown similar to mine with seven heads with an added altar and demiurgic crown. This example with particularly clear portraits.
Nekoria - Temples of the Imperial Cult.
Neokoria - the right to have a temple of the cult of the emperor were granted to cities and became a source of pride and competition between sities (most notably in Cilicia between Tarsus and Anazarbos).
At the time of my coin, Tarsus had temples of Hadrian and Sept. Severus so the crown of the Cilicarch had depictions of those imperial families. These contnue to show up on coins even under Maximinus Thrax. See: RPC 7143 with six imperial heads. The imperial heads appear to be all male.
How might damnatio memoriae have affected the set of emperors worshipped? Geta presumably not represented after being "erased" by Caracalla. Macrinus similarly "erased" after Elagabalus took his place.
The first nekoria for Tarsus was granted during the reign of Hadrian (117–138 AD) or before, as part of the emperor’s efforts to solidify the imperial cult in the eastern provinces. Hadrian was known for fostering the imperial cult and granting neokoria status to cities in recognition of their loyalty and contributions. His bust is likely on this coin and perhaps his adoptive father Trajan would be included too.
The second nekoria was granted during the reign of Commodus before 183 or 184 BC. Septimius severus claimed to be the adoptive brother of Commodus and deified him in 197 AD. This rehabilitated Commodus's image after his assassination in 192 AD and the subsequent condemnation of his memory (damnatio memoriae) by the Senate. In addition to Septimius who seems recognizable on the coin, Commodus could also be represented on this coin. This coin comes from the games organized around the time of this second nekoria - Kommodeios Isolympic Worldwide Festival.
Cilicia Pedias, Tarsus, Commodus, 177-192 AD, Æ 27mm (12.64, 7h)\
Obv: [ΑVΤ ΚΑΙ(Ϲ) ΑVΡ ΚΟΜΟΔΟϹ ϹƐΒ] Mantled bust right, wearing demiourgic crown; club of Hercules in left field
Rev: ΑΔΡ ΚΟΜ ΤΑΡ ΜΗ Β ΝƐⲰΚΟ (twice Neokorie), agonistic crown inscribed ΚΟΜΟΔƐ (Kommodeios); above, ΟΙΚΟ/VΜƐ (worldwide).
Expanded Legend: HADRianeia, KOMmodeios - TARsos MEtropolis
Ref: RPC IV.3 5845 (temporary)
Note: Commodus may have honored Tarsos because its patron god was Hercules, and Commodus believed that he was Hercules reincarnated.
Caracalla is another candidate for a head on this coin as Elagabalus (or at least his grandmother Julia Maesa) claimed to be the son of Caracalla (Julia Maesa's nephew by her sister Julia Domna). Julia Maesa claimed that her daughter Julia Soaemias Bassiana and Caracalla (her nephew) were the parents of Elagabalus as she worked to replace Macrinus and restore a Severan as emperor.
A third nekoria was granted to Tarsus Third Neokoria: This was most likely granted during the reign of Valerian, after the time of my coin.
An Ancient Inscription
Several epigraphic references to Kilikarchae are included in E. Brogia's 2018 paper - here is one (translated from Greek) that describes a Cilician citizen.
"To Marcus Aurelius Gaius, son of Kosanas, the most esteemed, voluntary, and incomparable Kilikarches, formerly a high priest and festival organizer of the ancestral and Argive Apollo.
The twice untiring syndic (advocate) of the association of porters in the grain market,their own protector, through the scribes Pomponius Pantagathusand Titianus."Found on a marble statue base from the 3rd century AD in the garden of the house of a certain Abdülkadir and now preserved in the Museum of Adana. This provides evidence that the role of Kilicarch was distinct from high priest and that there is a link between duties of festival organizer and role of Kilicarch.
References:
Borgia, E. (2018). The kilikarchia in the Roman province of Cilicia. In F. Berti, F. Fontana, & F. Rohr Vio (Eds.), Munus Laetitiae: Studi miscellanei offerti a Maria Letizia Lazzarini (pp. 283–294). Rome: Quasar.
Burrell, B. (2004). Neokoroi: Greek Cities and Roman Emperors. Brill.
R. Ziegler, Städtisches Prestige und kaiserliche Politik, Studien zum Festwesen in Ostkilikien im 2. und 3. Jh. n. Chr., Düsseldorf 1985.
Forum post on a related coin with comment from Curtis Clay and another photo of the bust from teh museum of Adana: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=24366.0
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