RIC IV 91* (reverse type variant)

Roman Empire, Trebonianus Gallus (251-253), Antoninianus, Antioch mint, 2nd emission, 4th (?) officina.

Obverse: IMP C C VIB TREB GALLVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind, IV (?) below;

Reverse: SAECVLLVM NOVVM, tetrastyle temple with seated figure in centre, IV below;

Notes: The SAECVLLVM NOVVM type had been introduced by Philip I at Rome for the celebrations of Rome's first millennium, and it was later copied at Antioch; it was unused by Decius but resurrected by Gallus at Antioch and it is quite common, but it is only listed with an hexastyle temple on the reverse: the variant with a tetrastyle temple is unlisted in RIC for both Gallus and Volusian, and the known examples (two for each emperor) all come from the same reverse die. Besides the number of columns the two temples are almost identical, so it is interesting to wonder if it's just an error and they were meant to represent the same building - its attribution is uncertain, but the central figure bears a strong resemblance to Jupiter, and some dies also have an eagle in the pediment of the temple. Could it have represented a local building at Antioch?

Reference : RIC IV - (c.f. RIC IV 91 - temple listed only as hexastyle); Gallwey - ; Metcalf - ;

Collection : Trebonianus Gallus - Antioch