Laodikea ad Mare in Syria, 217-218 AD., Diadumenian, Mionnet 785.

Laodikea ad Mare in Syria, Diadumenian Caesar,
Æ31 (30-33 mm / 17.85 g), 217-218 AD.,
Obv.: M OP ANTONINOS NOB CAES , draped and cuirassed bust r.
Rev.: ROMAE / FEL , she-wolf to r., suckling the twins Romulus and Remus.
SNG Cop. - ; BMC - (for Rev. type nr. 97-98, Macrinus) ; Mionnet V, 259, 785 ; ANS 1944.100.66452 ; Lindgren 2099 .
Very rare

Laodicaea ad Mare in Syria, modern Latakia (Arabic: اللاذقية Al-Ladhiqiyah, Greek: Λαοδικεία, transliterated as Laodicea, Laodikeia or Laodiceia, Turkish: Lazkiye; Latin: Laodicea ad Mare) is the principal port city of Syria, capital of the Latakia Governorate. Its population is ca. 550.000.
The site, on the peninsula, has been occupied for a long time. The Phoenicians had a city here named Ramitha, and to the Greeks it was known as Leuke Akte. It was re-founded and named Laodicea by Seleucus I Nicator, after his mother. It was one of the four cities of the Syrian tetrapolis. It was furnished with an aqueduct by Herod the Great (Joseph. Bel. Jud. i. 21. § 11), a large fragment of which is still to be seen.
An arch from the time of Septimius Severus has survived. There seems to have been a sizable Jewish population at Laodicea in the first century (Joseph. Ant. xiv. 10 § 20). The heretic Apollinarius was bishop of Laodicea in the 4th century.

The city minted coins from an early date:
Second century B.C. Inscr., ΛΑΟΔΙΚΕΩΝ ΠΡΟΣ (or ΤΩΝ ΠΡΟΣ) ΘΑΛΑΣΣΗΙ. Coins of the Seleucid kings and autonomous Æ, obv. Head of the Tyche of Laodiceia, rev. Nike. Also coins of the Tetrapolis. First century B.C. AR tetradrachms., obv. Bust of the Tyche, veiled and turreted, rev. Zeus seated holding Nike, all in wreath. Also AR Drachm with obv. Bust of Tyche, rev. ΛΑ ΘΕ Aplustre (Imhoof, Zur gr. u. röm. Münzk., p. 237). Æ, Head of Zeus, rev. Tripod with lebes; Radiate head (Helios?), rev. Artemis huntress; Head of Artemis, rev. Boar’s head (cf. B. M. C., Galat., p. lxvii); Head of Dionysos, rev. Pharos (ib., p. 250, No. 24). Inscr., ΛΑΟΔΙΚΕΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΙΕΡΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΥΤΟΝΟ- ΜΟΥ, and after B.C. 47 (when Julius Caesar visited Syria and conferred various honours on the cities), ΙΟΥΛΙΕΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΛΑΟΔΙΚΕΩΝ. Imperial and Colonial, Augustus to Trebonianus Gallus (or Valerian?). (α) Without name of emperor. Æ first and second century A.D. Inscr., ΙΟΥΛΙЄWΝ ΤWΝ ΚΑΙ ΛΑΟΔΙΚЄWΝ. Bust of Athena, rev. Bust of Sarapis. (β) With name of Emperor. Inscr., ΙΟΥΛΙΕΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΛΑΟΔΙΚΕΩΝ; under Sept. Severus, ΙΟΥΛ·ΛΑΟΔΙ·CЄΟV·ΜΗΤΡΟ- ΠΟΛЄWC.

From time of Caracalla, inscr., chiefly in Latin, COL. LAOD. METROPOLEOS or LAVDICEON.
Types chiefly relate to the Tyche of Laodiceia, whose head is sometimes wreathed with bunches of grapes, the vineyards of the neighbourhood being famous (Strabo, xvi. p. 752). The Tyche seated, with river-god at feet, and four Cities standing before her. Also, Two Wrestlers; Two Centaurs supporting agonistic crown; Modius and inscr., AETERNVM BENEFICIVM (an Imperial benefaction of corn to the city); Armed female figure standing between two stags, probably reproducing the old statue of Artemis Brauronia that Seleucus I brought from Susa to Laodiceia, where it was in existence in the time of Pausanias (B. M. C., Galat., p. lxviii). There are AR tetradrachms of Augustus and later emperors, rev. Bust of Tyche. Era, Caesarian. B.C. 48. Games—ΑΝΤΟΝΙΝΙ- ΑΝΑ, ΡVΤΗΙΑ (B. M. C., p. 259).

Laodicaea was devastated by earthquakes in 494 and 555, and captured by Arabs in 638. In 1097 it was captured by Crusaders, and retaken by Saladin in 1188. From the 16th century to World War I it was part of the Ottoman Empire.