Roman Imperial Coinage - RIC 4c, Jotapian (248-249 AD)

Jotapian led a short-lived revolt in Syria in the autumn of 249 while Philip I was still emperor. Little is known of Jotapian’s background. It was said that he boasted of a relationship to Severus Alexander, and his unusual name, although otherwise unknown for a man, is attested in its feminine form "Jotape" in the royal houses of Commagene and Emisa. The extreme rarity of his coins indicates that the revolt was brief, and the crude style proves that the revolt was geographically confined, for Jotapian plainly did not control a major Roman mint. His head was brought to Rome and shown to Trajan Decius "as was customary, although Decius had not asked for it"(Aurelius Victor, Historiae Abbreviatae, 29.4).

RIC #	Picture	Description	Rarity
AR antoninianus - RIC 4c, 2a var		Jotapian. Usurper, circa AD 248-249. AR Antoninianus (3.88 g, 7h). Nicopolis in Seleucia mint. IM C M F R IOTAPIANVS AV, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / VIC-TO-RIΛ ΛVG, Victory advancing left, holding wreath in right hand, cradling palm frond in left arm. RIC IV 2a var. (obv. legend); Bland 11 (same dies); RSC 2 var. (obv. legend). (Image courtesy CNG)
AR antoninianus - RIC 4c, 2c		JOTAPIAN. Circa 249 AD. AR Antoninianus (3.01 gm). Nicopolis in Seleucia mint. IM C M F RV IOTAPIANVS, radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / VICTORIA AVG, Victory walking left holding wreath and palm. RIC IV 2c; Bland 6 (same dies); RSC 2. (Image courtesy CNG)
AR denarius - RIC 4c, -		JOTAPIAN. Circa 249 AD. Billon "Denarius" (3.95 gm). Nicopolis in Seleucia mint. IMP M F RV IOTAPIANVS, laureate and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / VICTORIA AVG, Victory walking left holding wreath and palm. RIC IV -; R. Bland, “The Coinage of Jotapian,” -, but cf. pl. XXXV, 3(a) and 4(a) for same reverse die; Cohen -. (Image courtesy CNG)