RIC V Online 1092

Roman Empire, Claudius II (268-270), Antoninianus, Antioch mint, 4th emission, ? officina.

Obverse: IMP C CLAVDIVS AVG, radiate head left, with drapery to the front;

Reverse: SP-ES PV-BLIC, Salus standing right, feeding snake in right hand  from patera held in left hand, facing Aesculapius standing left, holding caduceus in right hand;

Notes: This coin belongs to the very rare final emission of Claudius II, which consists of eight reverse types all showing a couple of deities together, leading some to speculate that they're meant to represent Zenobia and Vaballathus, and that this issue was struck in the name of Claudius by the Palmyrenes after they had seized Syria in early 270, though the complete absence of officina marks for this issue makes it hard to estabilish a coherent timeline with previous and following issues. Surprisingly, for this emission, the left-facing busts are far more common than the right-facing ones.

Référence : RIC V - (c.f. RIC V 222 - unlisted bust type); RIC V Online 1092; Huvelin 1990, 70-71;

Collection : Claudius II - Antioch