The Roman Empire Antinous

Roman Provincial Arkadia Mantinea ​

Antinous was by birth from Bithynium beyond the river Sangarius, and the Bithynians are by descent Arcadians of Mantinea. For this reason, the emperor established his worship in Mantinea also; mystic rites are celebrated in his honor each year, and games every four years [Pausanias VIII.9.7]. This explains the ostentatious worship of the hero by this polis, which had changed its name from Antigonea back to Mantinea during Hadrian's visit in 125 and thus also had a personal relationship with the grieving emperor. Part of a series of commemorative medallions/coins struck in five denominations, no doubt in association with one of the events described by Pausanias. These coins feature a common reverse type of a horse, symbol of Poseidon Hippios, patron deity of Mantinea. The legends on the pieces simply tell us that they were dedicated to the Arcadians [TOIC APKACI] by a certain Vetourios [BЄTOYPIOC].