Hypaepa in Lydia, 198-204 AD., Julia Domna, magistrate Menandros, Æ 29, Altinoluk 90C.

Hypaepa in Lydia, Julia Domna, issued by magistrate Menandros, struck 198-204 AD., countermarked ca. 204 AD.,
Æ 29 (28-29 mm / 10,65 g),
Obv.: OYΛ[ΙΑ] - CЄBACTH , draped bust right, before, oval countermark: cult image of Artemis Anaïtis.
Rev.: [ЄΠI M]ЄN - ANΔPOY CTP [B?] / Y - Π / AI - ΠH / N - ΩΝ , cult image of Artemis Anaïtis standing facing between sun (or star) and crescent.
Altinoluk 90C ; Efes 52-22-95; ANS 1986.77.154 .
thanks to Dane (“Helvetica“) for the reference

cf. ANS 1986.77.114 (Caracalla) ; for magistrate see Münsterberg p 139 (Wadd. 5025) ; for countermark: Howgego 233 (111 pieces, 108 from Hypaepa, 41 on coins of Julia Domna) .

The latest coins of Hypaepa wich were countermarked like this seem to belong to the reign of Septimius Severus.

Artemis Anaïtis was a fusion of the Persian goddess Anahita and the Greek Artemis. Tacitus (Annals 62) refers to the syncretic deity simply as the “Persian Diana”, who had a temple in Lydia “dedicated in the reign in of Cyrus” (presumably Cyrus the Great).