A few miles north of Laodicea in the Lycus Valley, the ruins of Hierapolis stand along the ancient roadway connecting Laodicea to Philadelphia and Sardis to the northwest. The ruins demonstrate it was a prosperous trade center built around hot springs that were considered a source of healing power in the Roman period. In the southwestern edge of the Phrygian territory, the city is perched 250 feet above on a natural terrace overlooking the surrounding valley. The ancient city had all the drawing points of a resort, with all the regional goods of the other regional cities: wools, dying trades and textiles.
The city of Hierapolis, which was founded on this site in the 2nd century B.C., differs from all other ancient cities in being located, not on earth or rock, but on solid limestone layers formed by limestone water that flowed for centuries over this raised level plateau.
"Hierapolis" can mean "sacred city", and according to Stephanus of Byzantium the city was given this name because of the large number of temples it contained.
Up to the reign of Augustus the city was officially described on coins as Hierapolis, the city of temples, but it seems reasonable to assume that this was not the original meaning of the name.
The founder of the city was Eumenes II, King of Pergamon, and it was the custom for Hellenistic kings to name the cities they founded after members of their own families. It thus seems much more likely that the city was named after Hiera or Hiero, the wife of Telesphorus, the legendary founder of the Pergamene dynasty.We have no definite records concerning the foundation of Hierapolis, but the tradition that it was founded by the Pergamenes would appear to be reliable.
There are many coins of Augustus issued from here with many different magistrates. Dating is roughly possible as the magistrates issued coins for proconsul Fabius Maximus (Group 1) and Gaius Caesar (Group 2)also. There is another group also which appears to be slightly later in the Augustan reign (Group 3).
Magistrates ;
Group 1 10-9 B.C (Along with coins of Fabius Maximus, not shown here)
Zosimos Philopatris and Charax (1 coin, bare head right)
obv;ΣEBAΣTOΣ- bare head right. rev; ZΩΣIMOΣ ΦIΛOΠΑTPIΣ IEPOΠΟΛEITΩN XAPAΞ - lyre.(20mm, 7.53g)RPC 2929,BMC 97
Chares Charetos and Kokos ( 1 coin ,bare head right)
obv;ΣEBAΣTOΣ- bare head right. rev; XAPHΣ XAPHTOΣ KΩKOΣ IEPAΠOΛEITΩN- Apollo standing right playing lyre.(19mm,8.27g) RPC 2931
Bryon Bryonos (1 coin, bare head right)
obv; ΣEBAΣTOΣ- Bare head right. rev; BPYΩN BPYΩNOΣ IEPAΠΟΛΕΙΤΩΝ Apollo standing right, holding plectrum and cithara( 20mm, 7.38g) RPC 2933
Dorykanos Dioskouridou (1 coin, bare head right)
obv;ΣEBAΣTOΣ- bare head right. rev; ΔOPYKANOΣ ΔIOΣKOYPIΔOY IEPAΠOΛEITΩN- Apollo standing right playing lyre. (19mm, 5.01g)RPC 2935
Artemon Kodrou (1 coin, bare head right)
obv;ΣEBAΣTOΣ- bare head right, lituus right. rev; APTEMΩN KOΔPOY IEPAΠOΛEITΩN- Apollo standing right playing lyre. (19mm, 5.64g) RPC 2937, BMC 103
Theokritos Theokrtou (1 coin ,bare head right)
obv; ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣ- Bare head right. rev;- ΘΕOKPITOΣ ΘEOKPITOY IEPAΠOΛEITΩΝ- Apollo standing right playing lyre (19mm, 5.53g) RPC 2938
Dryas grammateus demou (1 coin ,bare head right)
obv; ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣ- Bare head right. rev;- ΔPYAΣ ΓPAMMATEYΣ ΔHMOY IEPAΠOΛEITΩN- Apollo standing right playing lyre (19mm, 6.48g) RPC 2940
Group 2 c. 5 B.C (Along with coins of Gaius Caesar, not shown here)
Papias Apellidou (1 coin ,bare head right)
obv; ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣ- Bare head right. rev; ΠΑΠΙΑΣ ΑΠΕΛΛΙΔOY IEPOΠOΛΕITΩN- Bloom in tripod bowl(19mm, 6.21g)RPC 2943
Lynkeus Philopatris (1 coin ,bare head right)
obv;ΣEBAΣTOΣ-bare head right. rev; ΛYΓKEYΣ ΦIΛOΠATPIΣ IEPAΠOΛEITΩN- Bloom in tripod bowl (20mm, 4.68g) RPC 2945, BMC 100.
Kokos Pollidos Phil(opatris) (1 coin ,bare head right)
obv; ΣEBAΣTOΣ-bare head right. rev; KΩKOΣ ΠΟΛΛΙΔΟΣ IEPAΠOΛEITΩN - Bloom in tripod bowl (19mm, 5.01g) RPC 2947, BMC 101
Diphilos Philopatris (1 coin ,bare head right)
obv; ΣEBAΣTOΣ- bare head right. rev; ΔIΦIΛOΣ ΦIΛOΠATPIΣ IEPAΠOΛEITΩN- Bloom in tripod bowl (19mm, 6.11g) RPC 2949.
Heras Epainetou (1 coin ,bare head right)
obv;ΣEBAΣTOΣ- bare head right. rev; HPAΣ EΠAINETOY IEPAΠOΛEITΩN- Bloom in tripod bowl. (19mm, 5.99g) RPC 2951
Attalos (and?) Meilichios (1 coin ,bare head right)
obv; ΣEBAΣTOΣ- bare head right. rev; ATTAΛOΣ MEIΛIXIOΣ IEPAΠOΛEITΩN- Bloom in tripod bowl. (19mm, 5.76g) RPC 2953
Group 3 c. 5 A.D (Augustus alone)
Iollas Iollou (1 coin ,bare head right)
obv;ΣEBAΣTOΣ- bare head right. rev; IOΛΛAΣ IOΛΛOY ΓPAMMATEYΣ IEPAΠOΛITΩN- Lyre. (17mm, 5.44g) RPC 2954, BMC 107
Diphilos Diphilou (1 coin ,bare head right)
obv; KAIΣAP ΣEBAΣTOΣ- bare head right. rev; ΔIΦAΛOΣ ΔIΦΙΛOY APXΩN TO B IEPAΠOΛITΩN- Apollo standing right playing lyre. (17mm, 4.21g) RPC 2955, BMC 14
Meniskos Diphilou (1 coin, laureate head)
obv; KAIΣAP ΣEBAΣTOΣ- laureate head right. rev; MENIΣKΣ ΔIΦIΛOY TO Γ IEPAΠOΛITΩN- Apollo standing left with phiale and double axe. (18mm, 4.96g) RPC 2956, BMC 105
Charopides Sostratou (1 coin, laureate head)
obv;ΣEBAΣTOΣ-Laureate head right. rev;XAPOΠIΔHΣ ΣΩΣTPATOY IEPAΠOΛITΩN- Apollo on horseback right, holding double ax over shoulder.(17mm, 4.22g) RPC I 2957
Matron Apolloniou (1 coins, laureate head)
obv; ΣEBAΣTOΣ-Laureate head right. rev; MATPΩN AΠOΛΛΩNIOY IEPAΠOΛITΩN- double axe on basis, with snake coiled around and summounted by radiate head. (18mm,5.14g)RPC 2958, BMC 106
