Commodus, Satala Mint - AE24mm - Griffin standing left
Identifier
ANRO-2011; RPC IV.3 - 17513 temp; Fox-Cm-B1a
Reference Description
Armenia Minor, Satala
Commodus 177-192 AD
AE 24mm
Obverse: IMP CAES COMOΔO; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Commodus, right, seen from rear.
Reverse: LEG XV; griffin seated, left, raising right paw over small wheel.
RPC IV.3 - 17513; Fox-Cm-B1a
Commodus 177-192 AD
AE 24mm
Obverse: IMP CAES COMOΔO; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Commodus, right, seen from rear.
Reverse: LEG XV; griffin seated, left, raising right paw over small wheel.
RPC IV.3 - 17513; Fox-Cm-B1a
Provenance
| Auction or Collection | Date | Characteristics | |
| 8 | Olympus Numismatik Auction 17 Lot 733 | 16-Nov-2024 | 24mm, 5.90g |
| 7 | Bay Numismatics Auction 4 Lot 381 | 5-Jul-2024 | 22mm, 7.40g |
| 6 | Bay Numismatics Auction 4 Lot 390 | 5-Jul-2024 | 24mm, 8.80g |
| 5 | Biga Numismatics Auction 20 Lot 375 | 10-Jun-2023 | 23mm, 5.7g |
| 4 | Biga Numismatics Auction 14 Lot 437 | 15-Jan-2023 | 24mm, 8.2g |
| 3 | N&N London Auction 10 Lot 247 | 26-Nov-2022 | 25mm, 6.8g |
| 2 | Agora Auctions 107 Lot 79 | 27-Sep-2022 | 24mm, 9.21g, 11h |
| 1 | Themis Numismatics Auction 7 Lot 735 | 27-Jun-2020 | 23mm, 7.69g |
Notes
Satala, situated in ancient Armenia Minor (modern-day Sadak, Turkey), served as a strategic Roman military fortress on the empire’s eastern frontier. Established under Emperor Vespasian in the late 1st century AD, it housed Legio XV Apollinaris and later Legio XVI Flavia Firma, forming a critical part of Rome’s defense against Parthian incursions. Though not a traditional Armenian city, Satala’s proximity to Armenia proper and its role in regional conflicts, such as the Battle of Satala in 298 AD, underscore its significance in Armenian history.
Recommended Reading
Fox, Mark. “A Tale of Four Ancient Cities and Their Newly Discovered Coins.” The Numismatist, Jan. 2025, pp. 39–45.
Images
Archive Category
Citation
“Commodus, Satala Mint - AE24mm - Griffin standing left,” Armenian Numismatic Research Organization, accessed May 29, 2025, https://armnumres.org/index.php/items/show/2011.