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Nymphaeum

Mt. Gerizim

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Nymphaeum
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Caracalla, 196 - 217 AD
AE 34 Medallion of Tarsus, CiliciaLaureate cuirassed
bust right / Nymphaeum containing fountains, central arch surmounted by Scylia (female sea
monster) and a quadriga of elephants, both sides surmounted by a man leading a quadriga of
horses.
Comment- The
Romans attached great importance to the water supply of their cities, and established
extensive water systems. Nymphaeums were a prominent architectural feature of a city. These
tall monumental fountains whose water was supplied by conduits provided a decorative
feature in public squares, being adorned with columns and statues, and generaly being made
of marble. (Double-strike evident on both sides) |

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Macrinus, 217 - 218 AD
AE 27 of Nicopolis, Moesia InferiorLaureate cuirassed
bust right / Nymphaeum at Nicopolis
Comment- The
Nymphaeum at Nicopolis was a semi-circular building with two stories of
colonnaded porticos, all covered by a flat roof or a removable awning,
with a colonnaded forecourt fronting a body of water. (CNG description) |

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L. Aemilius Lepidus Paullus w/ L. Scribonius Libo, 62 BC
Silver DenariusHead of Concord right / Puteal
Scribonianum decorated with hammer, lyres, and garland
Comment- A puteal
is an enclosure surrounding the opening of a well, to protect people from falling into it.
It was the practice to surround a sacred place with an enclosure, and such enclosures that
bore great resemblance to a puteal were called by this name. It is commonly called a
"well-head", however, this small enclosure in the Roman Forum was built to
protect a sacred spot said to have been struck by lightning. The enclosure was rebuilt and
dedicated by L. Scribonius Libo, whose job it was to examine the condition of sacred
places. The remains of the Puteal Scribonianum were discovered during excavations in the
Forum in 1950. An interesting tidbit of ancient history! |
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