Nikaia (AD 193-217) AE 32 - Julia Domna

Julia Domna, Augusta, 193-217 AD. AE32 (23.36g). Struck 208/209 AD. IVΛIA CЄBACTH, draped bust right; c/m: Nike standing right holding wreath / A[ΓO]NOΘЄCIA, NIKAIEΩN in exergue, athlete seated left, holding prize crown in right hand, long palm in left; agonistic urn on ground before. Near VF, dark brown patina.

In 208/209 AD, the city of Nicaea celebrated the Philadelphian games to honor the fraternity of Caracalla and Geta. Numerous agonistic types are known, usually with the legend CEOVHPEIA ΦIΛAΔEΛΦEIA. This coin shares it's obverse die with a games coin which features on the reverse the busts of both Caracalla and Geta (RG 397). According to Head (Historia Numorum), the title Agonothesia refers to "The office of an Agonothetes" and is known on coins from Thessalonica and Gordus Julia. Jones (A Dictionary of Ancient Greek Coins) defines Agonothesia as "The holding of a contest, the chief organizer being known as the agonothetes. The reverse type is similar to the coin of Septimius in RG, pl. lxxvi 15 except that coin has the normal games legend for Nicaea at this time, CEOVHPEIA ΦIΛAΔEΛΦEIA and the athlete doesn't appear to be holding the palm branch.