The Last Roman Colonies elevated under Philip I: Numismatic Perspective

Abstract

Philippopolis in Arabia, Damascus and Neapolis in Samaria were, besides Thessalonica, the last colonies founded by the Romans. They were established under Philip I, who originally came from the region where they were located, thus they had a reason for being grateful. On the one hand, the authorities of Damascus and Neapolis decided to implement patterns of colonial coinage and to integrate with the local tradition. On the other hand, ephemeral coinage of Philippopolis highlighted the bonds with the imperial family. This paper reconsiders the coinage of the latest Roman colonies.