Coins and Historical Medals

Roman Imperial Coinage, Tiberius, Sestertius, Rome, c. 22-3, Emperor, laureate and draped, seated left on curule chair holding patera and long sceptre, civitatibvs asiae restitvtis, rev. ti caesar divi avg f avgvst pm tr pot xxiiii, large s c in field, 27.10g (RIC 48; BMC 70; C 3). Some smoothing in fields, otherwise good very fine with shiny dark patina £1,500-2,000

Provenance: C.C. Browne Collection, Sotheby Auction, 25-8 March 1935, lot 186.

The obverse type publicizes the measures undertaken by Tiberius to help relieve the plight of those cities in his Asian province which had been affected by the devastating earthquake of 17, centred near the city of Sardis. In the wake of the earthquake he agreed to waive all taxes due from Sardis and the other cities for a period of five years. He further sent Sardis ten million sesterces and appointed Marcus Aletius, a former prætor, to assess their needs. In recognition of the aid received and the tributes that were waived, twelve of the cities raised a colossal statue in Tiberius' honour in Julius Caesar's Forum in Rome, with each of the cities represented by a recognisable figure