Civic coins of Samosata 1st C. BC (Kov 288-294)
Description
While it is generally agreed that these non-royal issues were struck during the first century BC, no consensus exists for their exact dating. Two logical periods are worth considering: the first series may coincide with the pseudo- autonomous issues of Artaxata and Artagigarta 57/6-54/3 BC, or perhaps earlier in 66/5 when Pompey caused pseudo-autonomous coins to be struck in Eusebeia-Caesareia.
The second series (Kov-290-293) which is all overstruck, normally on foreign coins, and with legends are frequently blundered, lends itself to the notion of an emergency coinage. For this reason, the siege of Samosata in 38 BC first by Ventidius, then continued by Antony has been considered (RPC I, 572).
Kovacs, Frank L. “Armenian Coinage in the Classical Period” CNS 10, Classical Numismatic Group, Lancaster, 2016, pp. 48.
The second series (Kov-290-293) which is all overstruck, normally on foreign coins, and with legends are frequently blundered, lends itself to the notion of an emergency coinage. For this reason, the siege of Samosata in 38 BC first by Ventidius, then continued by Antony has been considered (RPC I, 572).
Kovacs, Frank L. “Armenian Coinage in the Classical Period” CNS 10, Classical Numismatic Group, Lancaster, 2016, pp. 48.
