Orientation Matters: The Obverse Portrait of Elagabalus on Some Civic Coins of Abila and Other Syrian Coins

Abstract

A civic bronze of Abila with its obverse depicting the bust of Elagabalus facing left is the starting
point of a discussion of the orientation of the bust. On Roman provincial coins the emperor’s
obverse bust is usually to the right. Before discussing the case from Abila this paper addresses
the phenomenon in other nearby civic coinages and suggests explanations for the cases in which
the convention is not followed. The reason for the left-facing portrait on the Abila coin appears
to be the identification of Elagabalus with the sun god.