Late Roman Bronze Coins

Coin talk => Late Roman Bronze coins => Topic started by: Victor on June 18, 2018, 01:12:22 PM

Title: First appearance of a Chi-Rho on a bronze coin
Post by: Victor on June 18, 2018, 01:12:22 PM

Most people associate the Chi-rho with Christianity, but the first time a chi-rho was used, happened in the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt.

I wrote a bit about this on my webpage, but I was cataloguing the first coin below and thought it would make a good topic for those not aware.

http://www.constantinethegreatcoins.com/symbols/


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy III Euergetes.  Æ Diobol (29mm   21.0gm) Alexandria, circa 245-222 B.C.; Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΠTOΛEMAIOY, eagle left on thunderbolt; in front cornucopiae; between legs chi-rho monogram. SNG Copenhagen 176-177.