NERVA 96AD Ancient Roman Coin of of Hieropolis-Castabala in Cilicia i41637

Item: i41637

Authentic Ancient

Coin of:

Nerva
 –
Roman Emperor
: 96 -98 A.D. –

Bronze 16mm (2.81 grams) of Hieropolis-Castabala in Cilicia
Reference: Lindgren II, AB39b; Levante 1581; Sear-; Paris-; v. Aulock-;
L&K-;Cop-;BMC-
ΝЄΡOVAC KAICAP, laureate head right.
IЄPOΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, Nike standing left.

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Castabala (Greek:
Καστάβαλα), also known as Hieropolis
and Hierapolis [ad Pyramum] (Ίεράπολις) was a city in
Cilicia
(modern southern
Turkey
), near the
Ceyhan River
(ancient Pyramus). During
Late Antiquity
, the bishopric was a
suffragan
to
Anazarbus
, the metropolis of the province of
Cilicia Secunda
. It is included in the
Catholic Church
‘s list of
titular sees
.

Today, the Turkish
town of
Kırmıtlı
, in the
Osmaniye
district of
Osmaniye Province
, sits atop the ruins of the
ancient city.

Gallery

Acropolis of the city

In
Greek mythology
,
Nike

was a goddess
who personified
victory
, also known as the Winged Goddess of
Victory. The Roman equivalent was
Victoria
. Depending upon the time of various
myths, she was described as the daughter of
Pallas
(Titan) and

Styx (Water) and the sister of
Kratos
(Strength),
Bia
(Force), and
Zelus
(Zeal). Nike and her siblings were close
companions of Zeus
, the dominant deity of the
Greek pantheon
. According to classical (later)
myth, Styx brought them to Zeus when

the
god was assembling allies for the
Titan War
against the older deities. Nike
assumed the role of the divine
charioteer
, a role in which she often is
portrayed in Classical Greek art. Nike flew around battlefields rewarding the
victors with glory and fame.

Nike is seen with wings in most statues and paintings. Most other winged
deities in the Greek pantheon had shed their wings by Classical times. Nike is
the goddess of strength, speed, and victory. Nike was a very close acquaintance
of Athena
, and is thought to have stood in
Athena’s outstretched hand in the statue of Athena located in the Parthenon.
Nike is one of the most commonly portrayed figures on Greek coins.

Names stemming from Nike include amongst others:
Nicholas
, Nicola, Nick, Nikolai, Nils, Klaas,
Nicole, Ike, Niki, Nikita, Nika, Niketas, and Nico.

Marcus Cocceius Nerva (8 November 30 – 25 January 98) was a

Roman Emperor

who reigned from 96 until

his

death in 98. Nerva acceded to this position at the advanced age of 65,

after a lifetime of imperial service under

Nero
and

the rulers of the

Flavian dynasty

—Vespasian,

Titus
and

Domitian

. Under Nero, he was a member of the imperial entourage and

played a vital part in exposing the

Pisonian conspiracy

of 65. Later, as a loyalist to the Flavians, he

attained

consulships

in 71 and 90 during the reigns of Vespasian and Domitian

respectively.

On 18 September 96, Domitian was assassinated in a

palace conspiracy involving members of the

Praetorian Guard

and several of his

freedmen

. On the same day, Nerva was declared emperor by the

Roman Senate

. As the new ruler of the

Roman Empire

, he vowed to restore liberties which had been curtailed

during the autocratic government of Domitian; however, Nerva’s brief

reign was marred by financial difficulties and his inability to assert

his authority over the

Roman army

. A revolt by the Praetorian Guard in October 97 all but

forced him to

adopt

the more popular

Marcus

Ulpius Traianus
(Trajan) as his heir and successor. After barely

fifteen months in office, Nerva died of natural causes on 27 January 98.

Upon his death he was succeeded and

deified

by Trajan.

Although much of his life remains obscure, Nerva was considered a

wise and moderate emperor by ancient

historians

, a view which was later popularized by the 18th century

scholar

Edward Gibbon

, who termed the rule of Nerva and his four successors

as that of the

Five Good Emperors

(the concept is older). Recent historians have

revised this assessment, characterizing Nerva as a well-intentioned, but

ultimately weak ruler, whose reign brought the Roman Empire to the brink

of civil war

. Nerva’s greatest success therefore, was his ability to

ensure a peaceful transition to the Trajanic-Antonine dynasty.