Laodicea ad Lycum — A settlement in Phrygia
Laodicea was an ancient city built on the river Lycus. At first, Laodicea was not a place of much importance, but it soon acquired a high degree of prosperity.

In 220 BC, Achaeus was its king. In 188 BC, the city passed to the Kingdom of Pergamon, and after 133 BC it fell under Roman control. It suffered greatly during the Mithridatic Wars but quickly recovered under the dominion of Rome.

Towards the end of the Roman Republic and under the first emperors, Laodicea, benefiting from its advantageous position on a trade route, became one of the most important and flourishing commercial cities of Asia Minor, in which large money transactions and an extensive trade in black wool were carried on.

The area often suffered from earthquakes, especially from the great shock that occurred in the reign of Nero (60 AD) in which the town was completely destroyed. But the inhabitants declined imperial assistance to rebuild the city and restored it from their own means. It was fortified by the emperor Manuel I Comnenus, but was destroyed during the invasions of the Turks and Mongols.

Modern location: Ruins
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An AE unit struck 138-161 AD in Laodicea ad Lycum
Obverse: Laureate head right; AV KAI TI AI AΔP__ANTΩNEINOC

Reverse: Wreath; (ΠΟ) / ΑΙΛΙΟС / ΔΙΟΝVСΙΟС / ΛΑΟΔΙ / ΚЄΩΝ

Diameter: 27 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 10.1 g
ex Naumann
RPC IV online 2084; BMC 202-3.
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An AE unit struck c. 15 BC in Laodicea ad Lycum
Obverse: laureate head right, lituus right; ΣEBAΣTOΣ

Reverse: Zeus Laodicea standing left with eagle and staff; ZEVΞIΣ / ΦIΛAΛHΘHΣ / ΛAOΔIKEΩN

Diameter: 18.5 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 5.15 g
No notes for this coin
RPC 2894; SNG Cop. 555.
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An AE unit struck c. 15 BC in Laodicea ad Lycum
Obverse: bare bust right seen from behind; ΣEBAΣTOΣ

Reverse: serpent-entwined staff; ZEVΞIΣ / ΦIΛAΛHΘHΣ / ΛAOΔIKEΩN

Diameter: 15 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 2.51 g
No notes for this coin
RPC I, 477, 2895. SNG von Aulock 3837. SNG München 375
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An AE unit struck ca. 15 BC in Laodicea ad Lycum
Obverse: ΣEBAΣTOΣ, Head of Augustus facing right, wearing laurel wreath, lituus at right (off of flan)

Reverse: ZEYΞIΣ ΦIΛAΛHΘHΣ ΛAOΔIKEΩN, Zeus Laodiceus standing facing left, holding eagle and scepter

Diameter: 21 mm
Die Orientation: 12 H
Weight: 5.46 g
Zeuxis Philalethes as magistrate
RPC I 2894
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An AE unit struck 211-217 AD in Laodicea ad Lycum
Obverse: laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right from behind; AVT·KAI M·AYP'AN·_TΩNEINOC·CEB

Reverse: Agnostic table (inscribed with ACKΛΗΠEIA) with prize urn and palm on top; knives at sides; kantharos under table; EΠI Λ AIΛ ΠI_ΓPHTOC ACIAP / ΛAOΔIKEΩN / NEΩKOPΩN

Diameter: 36.5 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 27.1 g
Lucius Aelius Pigres asiarch
unlisted
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An AE unit struck 13-37 AD in Laodicea ad Lycum
Obverse: bust of Men on crescent right wearing laureate Phrygian cap; ΛΑΟ_ΔΙΚΕΩΝ

Reverse: eagle standing right, head left; (KOP) ΔΙΟΣΚOΥΡΙΔΗΣ

Diameter: 15 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 4 g
Cornelius Dioskurides, magistrate
RPC I 2907; SNG Copenhagen 513
/Files/Images/Coinsite/CoinDB/L2_Laodicea_ad_Lycum.jpg
An AE unit struck 13-37 AD in Laodicea ad Lycum
Obverse: laureate bust of Apollo right, lyre right; ΛΑΟΔΙΚΕΩΝ

Reverse: altar surmounted by headdress of Isis; ΠΥΘΗΣ // ΠΥΘΟΥ // ΔΙΣ

Diameter: 13 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3 g
Pythes Pythou, magistrate in office for the second time
RPC I, 2909; BMC 62, Cop 511