Perge (AD 161-169) AE 34 - Lucius Verus

Lucius Verus, 161-169 AD. AE34 (25.97g, 12h). Laureate bust left, slight drapery / ΠЄPΓAIΩ-N, galley sailing left over waves; large Triton ornament at prow, eight rowers on deck, steersman and two signa at stern; in exergue, from left to right: two fish, dolphin, and either a third fish or turtle. Near VF, brown surfaces, minor roughness.

An extremely rare and interesting type. The designs on the coinage of Perge are principally devoted to religious subjects, particularly to Artemis, who had an important cult center at Perge. This galley type, very reminiscent of ships on some Hadrianic sestertii, presumably alludes to the importance of Perge as a center of maritime trade. We see the type repeated on an equally rare issue of Septimius Severus (see here).