Theatre Token with an Obelisk and a Temple in the Getty Villa, June 2016

Title: Token with an Egyptian Obelisk and a Temple

Artist/Maker: Unknown

Culture: Roman

Date: early 1st century A.D.

Medium: Ivory

Object Number: 79.AI.169

Dimensions: 2.9 cm (1 1/8 in.)

Credit Line: Gift of Marshall and Ruth Goldberg

Inscription on reverse: IIII (Roman numeral, four) Νικοπολις ("Nikopolis") Δ (Greek letter delta).

Alternate Titles: Token with an Obelisk and a Temple (Display Title)
Token with an Obelisk and a Temple (Display Title)

Object Type: Tessera


This circular token probably served as a game counter. The obverse shows an obelisk next to a building that can be identified as a temple. It has a curvilinear roof and club-shaped columns of Egyptian style. The doorway is decorated with rectangular blocks in two rows. In the pediment, a circular ornament likely represents the sun disk. The reverse is inscribed in Greek with the name Nikopolis, along with the Roman numeral IIII and the Greek letter delta. The inscription identifies the location of the obelisk and building as Nikopolis, a suburb of Alexandria in Egypt.


Text from: www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/8653/unknown-maker-token-with-an-egyptian-obelisk-and-a-temple-roman-early-1st-century-ad