Marcianopolis — A settlement in Moesia
Marcianopolis was a Roman city in Moesia Inferior which was founded when Trajan renamed the ancient city of Parthenopolis after the Second Dacian War, which ended in 106. It was renamed after Trajan's sister, Ulpia Marciana.

An important strategic centre, the city was part of Roman Thrace until 187–193, and then belonged to Moesia inferior. Marcianopolis's prosperity under the Severan Dynasty was ended by a Gothic raid in 248–249 and subsequent barbarian invasions from the north. The Romans repulsed another Gothic attack to this town in 267 (or 268), during the reign of Gallienus.

Under Emperor Diocletian Marcianopolis became the centre of the province Moesia Secunda of the Diocese of Thrace, and was rebuilt thoroughly in the late 3rd and early 4th century. In 447, it was destroyed by the Huns under Attila, immediately after the bloody battle of the Utus river.

Modern location: Devnya, Bulgaria
(1) Caracalla
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An AE unit struck 211-217 AD in Marcianopolis
Obverse: laureate head right; AVT K M AVPHΛ_ANTΩNINOC

Reverse: winged Thanatos or Eros right leaning on torch set on decorated altar; MAPKIANOΠO_ΛITΩN

Diameter: 16 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 2.71 g
No notes for this coin
AMNG I/1, 633 var. (has AV KM); Varbanov (engl.) 901 var. (=AMNG 633); Jochen
Roman Provincial (Severan Period)
(2) Caracalla | Julia Domna
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An AE Pentassarion struck 198-217 AD in Marcianopolis
Obverse: ANTΩNINOC AVΓOVCTOC IOVΛIA ΔOMNA, laureate bust of Caracalla right, seen from front and draped bust of Julia Domna left, vis-à-vis .

Reverse: VΠA KVNTIΛIANOV MAPKIANOΠOΛITΩ-N, Tyche Soteiros (Fortuna Redux) standing left, holding rudder in outstretched right hand and cornucopiae in left; E in upper left field.

Diameter: -
Die Orientation: -
Weight: -
MOESIA INFERIOR, Marcianopolis. Caracalla, with Julia Domna. Æ Pentassaria . Quintilianus, magistrate.
AMNG I 678 var. (VP); cf. Mouchmov 496; SNG Copenhagen 220 var.; Varbanov 820.
Roman Provincial (Severan Period)
(3) Elagabalus | Julia Maesa
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An AE Pentassarion struck 218-222 AD in Marcianopolis
Obverse: Confronted busts of Elagabalus right, laureate, and Julia Maesa left, draped

Reverse: Homonoia standing left, holding patera and cornucopia; E (mark of value) to right.

Diameter: 26 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 12.05 g
MOESIA INFERIOR, Marcianopolis. Elagabalus, with Julia Soaemias. AD 218-222. Æ Pentassarion (26mm, 12,05 g). Julius Antonius Seleucus, legatus consularis.
No references provided for this coin
Roman Provincial (Severan Period)
(4) Geta
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An AE Hemiassarion struck 198-209 AD in Marcianopolis
Obverse: draped bust right from behind; Π CEΠTI_ΓETAC K

Reverse: tripod, snake entwined around leg; MAPKIANO_ΠOΛITΩN

Diameter: 17 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 1.74 g
No notes for this coin
Varbanov I 1117; AMNG I/I 703
Roman Provincial (Severan Period)
(5) Macrinus | Diadumenian
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An AE Pentassarion struck 217-218 AD in Marcianopolis
Obverse: AV K OΠEΛ CEVH MAKPEINOC K M OΠEΛ ANTΩNEINOC / Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Macrinus right facing bare headed, draped and cuirassed bust of Diadumenian left

Reverse: VΠ ΠONTIAN-O-V MAPKIANOΠOΛEI / TΩ-N / Demeter standing right, holding 2 corn-ears in left hand and a sceptre in right. E in upper right field

Diameter: -
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 11.9 g
No notes for this coin
AMNG I/1, 725 (1 ex. in München), Varbanov (engl.) 1262
Roman Provincial (Severan Period)
(6) Philip II Junior
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An AE Pentassarion struck AD 247-249 in Marcianopolis
Obverse: M IOVΛIOC ΦIΛIΠΠOC KAICAP, bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust of Philip right, facing draped bust of Serapis left, wearing kalathos

Reverse: MAPKIANOΠOΛEITΩN, bearded serpent coiled left; E (mark of value) to right

Diameter: 27 mm
Die Orientation: 1 H
Weight: 12.42 g
The serpent seen on the reverse of this bronze pentassarion from Marcianopolis (now Devnya, in Bulgaria) is a snake god known as ‘Glykon’. A cult that worshipped the snake god was introduced by the Greek prophet, Alexander of Abonutichus, in the mid-second century AD. The contemporary writings of Greek satirist Lucian of Samosata (c. AD 120-190) were extremely hostile, and comical, on the subject of Alexander and his snake cult. In his essay titled "Alexander the Oracle Monger" Lucian describes the protagonist as a false prophet and explains that the cult is a hoax with the Glykon god being nothing more than a hand-puppet! The cult itself was real enough, and an impressive and beautiful marble statue of the Glykon was discovered in 1962 in Constanta, Romania. The statue dates from the 2nd century and is currently the only cult statue of the deity known throughout the Roman Empire. The snake had some human features, such as hair and ears, and on this coin we can see that the snake has been given a beard. The cult may have originated in Macedonia, and spread beyond the Aegean by the mid second century AD. As with other snake cults, the focus of worship at the temple was fertility. Women would bring offerings to Glykon to increase their chances of becoming pregnant. According to Lucian, Alexander also had more ‘conventional’ methods of ensuring the Glykon worshippers became pregnant....
Varbanov 2102
Roman Provincial (3rd Century Crisis)
(7) Severus Alexander
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An AE Tetrassarion? struck 222-224 AD in Marcianopolis
Obverse: laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right AVT K M AVP CEV_AΛEZANΔPOC

Reverse: Tyche standing half left, holding rudder and cornucopia VΠ ΦIP ΦIΛOΠA(ΠΠ)OV MAPKIANOΠOΛIT(ΩN)

Diameter: 26 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 9.72 g
Firmius Philopappus, consular legate
Varbanov 1817
Roman Provincial (Severan Period)
(8) Severus Alexander
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An AE Tetrassarion? struck 222-224 AD in Marcianopolis
Obverse: laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right from behind; AVT K M AVP CEVH_·_AΛEZANΔPOC

Reverse: eagle facing, head left, wreath in beak; VΠ TIB IOVA ΦHCT(OV) MAPKIANOΠOΛIT(ΩN)

Diameter: 26 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 9.2 g
Tiberius Julius Festus, consular legate
SNGCop 246; Pick 1021.
Roman Provincial (Severan Period)
(9) Severus Alexander | Julia Maesa
/Files/Images/Coinsite/CoinDB/Alexander_Severus_-_Julia_Maesa.jpg
An AE Pentassarion struck 222-224 AD in Marcianopolis
Obverse: laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Severus Alexander right, confronting diademed and draped bust of Julia Maesa left; AVT K M AVP CEVH AΛEZANΔPOC IOVΛIA MAICA·

Reverse: Dikaiosyne (Aequitas) standing half left, holding scales and cornucopia; VΠ TIB IOVΛ ΦECTOV M(AP)KIANOΠOΛIT(ΩN) / E

Diameter: 25.5 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 11.12 g
Tiberius Julius Festus, consular legate
Moushmov 727
Roman Provincial (Severan Period)