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This ancient bronze was struck in the name of Salonina Matidia (68 – 119 AD), daughter of Ulpia Marciana and Gaius Salonius Matidius Patruinus. Matidia was the niece of Augustus Trajan, who, having no children of his own, was said to have cared for her as his own daughter. Matidia’s first husband was Lucius Vibius Sabinus, who died around the same time as Matidia gave birth to their daughter, Vibia Sabina. Consequently, both Matidia and Sabina were taken in as cherished members of Trajan’s household. As one indication of imperial esteem, after Sabina came of age she was betrothed — at the insistence of Augusta Plotina — to Trajan’s named successor, Caesar Hadrian.
Trajan’s affection for his niece Matidia was such that he even granted her the title of Augusta, the first time ever that honor was bestowed outside the Emperor’s nuclear family. As such, Matidia was honored on coins including this ancient bronze struck in the northwest Asia Minor realm of Phyrgia. More specifically, this coin was struck at Cotiaeum. Besides being located at an important crossroads, the ancient city is perhaps best known as the home of the ancient scholar Alexander of Cotiaeum, who was recruited by Hadrian’s successor, Antoninus Pius, to instruct one of his Caesars, Marcus Aurelius. As a Roman provincial mint, Cotiaeum was not particularly prolific. This particular issue struck in the name of Matidia is quite scarce, with perhaps as few as 15 surviving specimens.
By design, this coin’s composition bears many similarities to other contemporaneous Asia Minor issues. The obverse features Matidia’s draped bust, identified by her inscription, ΜΑΤΙΔΙΑ СЄΒΑСΤΗ. Of particular note is Matidia’s impressive pompadour, similar to the coiffure sported by her mother Marciana and her aunt Plotina. The reverse features Zeus seated on His throne with his right hand holding a scepter and his left hand on his knee, reminiscent of Hellenistic coinage from previous centuries.
Besides coins such as this one, surviving sources of information about Matidia are relatively scarce. Unquestionably, she was esteemed within the imperial family, and in return fulfilled her duty to provided it a dynast, daughter Sabina. Upon Matidia's death, she was deified and bestowed Her own exclusive temple and alter in Rome, the first time a deified Roman woman was thusly honored. But Matidia’s legacy does not stop there: her adoptive daughter from a second marriage was grandmother to Alexander of Cotiaeum's most famous student, Marcus Aurelius.
Coin Details: PHRYGIA, Cotiaeum, Matidia (Augusta, 112-119), Ae (6.53 g, 20 mm), Cl. Varus, magistrate, NGC Grade: Ch F, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5, Obverse: Draped bust right, ΜΑΤΙΔΙΑ СЄΒΑСΤΗ, Reverse: Zeus seated right on throne, holding scepter, ЄΠΙ ΚΛ ΟVΑΡΟV ΚΟΤΙΑЄΩΝ, References: RPC III 2632; SNG von Aulock 3780; BMC 43.
Image: Sony ɑ 7R Ⅴ camera / Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS lens.