Syria, Antioch AE (Claudius/S C in wreath, RPC I 4282)

SYRIA, ANTIOCH
Time of Claudius
AE (30.99mm, 13.87g, 12h)
Struck AD 41-54
Obverse: IMP·TI·CLAVD·CAE AVG·GER, laureate head of Claudius right, lituus before
Reverse: S C within laurel wreath of eight leaves
References: RPC Online, Vol. I, No. 4282 (8th specimen this coin)

Double struck. A rare type with the lituus on the obverse. Antioch was a city of great importance in early Christianity: it was there that the apostles were first called Christians, and the church at Antioch served as the base of operations for the apostle’s missionary journeys. This coin would have been struck around the same time as the events recorded in Acts chapters 12-19, including Paul’s first two missionary journeys, and the beginning of his third.

Sammlung : Roman Provincial