Tumultuous Times Tyre under Emperor Elagabalus

Abstract

Tyre was one of the most prolific mints in the Hellenistic and Roman Southern Levant. Under Elagabalus the number of coin types increased drastically and an elaborate civic mythology was showcased. During the same period something dramatic happened in Tyre. The city lost its status as colonia and metropolis and legio III Gallica stationed in the city also disappeared from its coins. In this paper, it is argued that the loss of metropolis and colonia status occurred when the images related to legio III Gallica also disappeared but that a causal relationship between the two events is not necessary.