Elagabalus, Rome mint, 222 AD.,
Denarius (18-19 mm / 3.57 g),
Obv.: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG , laureate, draped bust of Elagabalus right with short beard (hornless type).
Rev.: INVICTVS SACERDOS AVG , Elagabal standing facing, wearing gown of an oriental priest, head turned l., holding club in his l. hand, sacrificing over altar out of patera in his r. hand, behind altar, sacrificial bull reclining l.; in l. field, star.
RIC 88b ; Coh. 61 ; RSC 61 ; BMC 212 .
Elagabalus' name is a Latinized form of the Semitic deity El-Gabal, a manifestation of the Semitic deity Ä’l. He replaced Jupiter, head of the Roman pantheon, with a new god, Deus Sol Invictus, which in Latin means "the Sun, God Unconquered". Elagabalus forced leading members of Rome's government to participate in religious rites celebrating Sol invictus which he personally led.
The hornless type: Elagabalus' "horn" and "club" are also obviously connected with the cult of his sun god. the "horn" continued from 221 onto the earliest denarii of 222, then was eliminated for good until Elagabalus' assassination. This may be an explanation: The "horn" on coins was offensive to Roman traditionalists, and Elagabalus omitted it when his first attempt to eliminate Severus Alexander failed and he was forced to make concessions in order to stay in power.
scarce issue of the last months of Elagabalus' reign, after the "horn" had been removed from the obverse type early in 222 AD.
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