Coin of Antinous and Demeter. Roman Provincial; minted in: Adramyteum (Asia, Turkey, Mysia, Adramyte
Coin of Antinous and Demeter. Roman Provincial; minted in: Adramyteum (Asia, Turkey, Mysia, Adramyteum). 130-138. British Museum, London. “The young courtier Antinous died suddenly in AD 130. The Greek part of the empire seems to have been particularly sensitive to the emperor’s grief at the loss of his lover. Cults were established; even a city was named in his honour. Some local civic coinage was struck with his image as if he, like Sabina, were a member of the imperial family; an unparalleled occurrence for an emperor’s male lover. This coin records an individual (either Gesios or Gaisios) who had either sponsored the Eleusinian cult of Demeter or the production of this particular coinage commemorating Antinous, but both might seek to appeal to the emperor’s interests.” -- source link
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