Rare provincial bronze of Caracalla (AD 198–217), struck at Stobi in Macedonia (modern Gradsko), belongs to a group of civic issues characterized by limited circulation and relatively small-scale production, as confirmed by numismatic evidence and studies of regional minting activity.
The obverse shows a laureate bust of the emperor facing right, with the legend ANTONINVS PIVS AVGV, a shortened form of his titulature as Augustus.
The reverse depicts Nike walking right, holding a wreath and a palm branch, with the legend MVNICIP STOBEN, referring to the city’s status as a municipium. Nike, as the personification of victory, belongs to one of the most enduring and widely used motifs in both Roman and provincial coinage, symbolizing triumph and favorable fortune.
The use of a Latin reverse legend in a provincial context is significant and reflects the municipal status of Stobi and its integration into the Roman administrative system, a feature well attested in epigraphic and archaeological sources related to the city.
Roman Provincial
Macedonia, Caracalla (198-217), AE, Stobi mint
Obverse: laureate bust of the Emperor facing right
ANTONINVS PIVS AVGV
Reverse: Nike with wreath and palm branch advancing right
MVNICIP STOBEN
Diameter 22 mm, weight 5.44 g
