Here's my latest ancient acquisition, from a John Anthony auction: Roman Empire, Rome mint. AR denarius (18mm, 3.17g). Septimius Severus (193-211 AD), struck 201 AD. Obverse: Laureate bust right, SEVERVS PIVS AVG. Reverse: Two Parthian captives seated under trophy of arms, PART MAX PM TR P VIIII. RIC IVa 176. John Anthony auction, from the Arnoldoe collection; ex-Lanz 161, lot 353. Septimius Severus was born in 145 AD in Leptis Magna (in what is now Libya), of mixed Italian and Punic (and possibly Berber) ancestry. Little is known of his early career, but in 191 he was appointed governor of Upper Pannonia by Commodus. Commodus was assassinated on the last day of 192 and Pertinax proclaimed emperor, but was killed by the Praetorian Guard just three months later. The Praetorians then blatantly auctioned off the emperorship to the highest bidder, Didius Julianus. Meanwhile, on hearing of the murder of Pertinax, Severus' troops proclaimed him emperor, and he began a march to Rome. Julianus proved unable to raise the huge sums he had promised, and his support quickly fell away; he was killed after a reign of 66 days, and Septimius Severus entered Rome unopposed. Severus, realizing that the Praetorians were trouble, had Pertinax' killers executed and dismissed the rest of the Praetorians, replacing them with men from his own legions whose loyalty he could trust. Meanwhile, the legions in Syria had proclaimed Pescennius Niger as emperor, and he had received encouragement from Parthia and its allies, including Osrhoene. Severus first shored up his rear by proclaiming his commander in Britain, Clodius Albinus, as Caesar, then moved against Niger. He defeated Niger in 194, then fought in Mesopotamia against Niger's allies the Parthians, Arabs, and Adiabenians. As a result, Severus annexed most of Osrhoene as a Roman province. Albinus rebelled in 195, upset at being passed over as Severus' designated successor in favor of Severus' own son Caracalla. Albinus was killed in Gaul in 197, leaving Severus free to launch a more extensive war against Parthia. This went well for the Romans, including the sacking of the Parthian capitol Ctesiphon and temporary expansion of the Roman provincial border to the Tigris. However, he failed twice to take the key fortress town of Hatra and (like all Roman armies) made no headway into the Iranian heartland of Parthia. Content with the new territory in Mesopotamia, he moved on to other campaigns in North Africa and in Caledonia (Scotland). While campaigning in Britain he fell ill, and died at Eboracum (York) in 211 AD, leaving the empire to his two sons Caracalla and Geta. He left the Roman Empire with its greatest territorial extent ever, as well as founding the Severan Dynasty. Septimius Severus issued many coin types to commemorate his Parthian victories (as well as a triumphal arch that still stands in the Roman Forum). This is a nice specimen with a good, high-grade portrait and clear reverse type. The reverse legend "Part Max" stands for "Parthicus Maximus" (Greatest Conqueror of the Parthians). Share your Severan coins, or coins with Parthian references.
Man, I liked that coin the first time I saw it! Always good to know where they end up at. Loved your write up!
The earliest form of this legend in the east occurs on a single obverse die. It is known for three reverse types. ALL are very rare. Obv:– L SEP SEVERVS PER AVG PIV IMP XI PAR P M, laureate head right Rev:– AR AD [T]R P VI COS II P P, Victory walking left, holding wreath in right hand, palm in left Eastern mint. A.D. 198 Reference:– BMCRE page 280 *, citing RD page 105. RIC 494a corr. Rev:– AR AD TR P VI / COS II P P, Two captives seated back to back at the foot of a trophy Eastern mint. A.D. 198 Reference:– BMCRE page 280 Sword, citing RD page 105. RIC 494b corr. Slightly double struck on the reverse Rev:– SALVTI AVGG, Salus seated left feeding snake coiled around altar Eastern mint. A.D. 198 Reference:– BMCRE page 281 Note, citing RD page 102. RIC 497b corr. This was soon followed by Obv:– L SEP SEVERVS PER AVG P M IMP XI, Laureate bust right Rev:– PAR AR AD TR P VI COS II P P, Captives bound and both sitting on discarded armor on the ground, both are sitting on shield; between them, a large trophy Minted in Laodicea ad Mare, A.D. 198 References:– RIC 496a corr. (Scarce), RSC 360
Related to that one:- Septimius Severus denarius Obv:– L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP VII-I, Laureate head right Rev:– ARAB ADIABENIC, Victory advancing left holding wreath and palm (R of ARAB corrected over B) Minted in Laodicea-ad-Mare. A.D. 196-197 Ref:– Cohen -, BMCRE -, RIC -. The reverse refers to victory over Niger. To hide the fact that this was a civil war, it is phrased as victory over Arabs and Adiabenians, who aided Niger's cause.
SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS AR Denarius OBVERSE: IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG - Laureate head right REVERSE: VICT AVG TR P COS - Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm Struck at Rome, 193-194 AD 2.8g, 17mm RIC 22, BMC 30, S 6369, C 682
I have a very humble Septimus Severus... @Parthicus Trophy reverse is fantastic! RI Septimus Severus 193-211 AR Denarius Genius Sacrificing
Martin covered Laodicea well. Emesa issued Parthian coins with dated legends but you can recognize the hats on the captives as Parthian.
Great write-up! Helps me to understand the backstory about this one in my collection: Septimius Severus, AD 193-211 Roman AR Denarius; 3.26 g, 19.7mm Rome, AD 202 Obv: SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate head, right Rev: PART MAX PM TRP X COS III PP, trophy and two captives Refs: RIC 185; BMCRE 385; Cohen 375; RCV 6323; Hill 550.
I have one similar to the OP, but mine is the PART ARAB PART ADAIB reverse. Not entirely sure about my attribution (Antioch mint?). Roman Empire - Denarius Septimius Severus (195 A.D.) Alexandria Mint (?) L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP V Laureate head right / PART ARAB PART ADAIB bound captives seated back to back, COS II P P in exergue. RIC 62 Type refers to the victory over Pecennius Niger in a civil war, the victory being presented as being over the Parthians, Arabians and Adiabenians, who had aided Niger's cause and were punished as a result
Wonderful thread and posts!! Just to pile on.... Africa/scorpion/modius; Rome, 207AD; RIC 254; 19mm, 2.45 grams:
Rome mint. All Alexandria mint denarii use the obverse legend used at Rome in 193. None have an IMP date. I have not seen a Septimius mint assigned to Antioch for many decades. If you have a book that old, I would trust nothing else in it. RIC numbers under 337 are all Rome mint. For what its worth: The IMP V period was particularly poorly struck. Yours is not a bad coin as these go. Full legends, good metal etc. are the exceptions rather than the rule.
@Parthicus thats a nice write up and a great coin. I posted this coin on an earlier thread today but it's a PART MAX and with a chubby cheek portrait. Septimius Severus. A.D. 193-211. AR denarius (18.73 mm, 3.20 g, 7 h). Rome mint, A.D. 200-201. SEVERVS AVG PART MAX, laureate head right / RESTITVTOR VRBIS, Septimius standing left, sacrificing out of patera over lighted altar. RIC 167a; RSC 599; BMCRE 202.
