Yesterday the CoinWeek website published an interesting article by Tyler Rossi, Continuity and Legitimacy: The Coins of Septimius Severus. If any CT members missed the article see the link below . https://coinweek.com/ancient-coins/continuity-and-legitimacy-the-ancient-coins-of-septimius-severus/ Septimius Severus, AD 193-211 (struck AD 195). Rome Mint. Orichalcum Sestertius: 26.17 gm, 30 mm, 12 h. BMC 555 var.
Interesting article, however it is interesting that they feature one of my coins. This is one that I have owned since 2002 when I bought it from a CNG Auction. The article suggests that the coin was minted in honor of the IIIrd Parthica a Legion raised by Septimius Severus in 197 AD. However the legend on this coin clearly honors the IIIrd Italica a legion raised by Marcus Aurelius. Denarius of Septimius Severus Alexandria 194 AD Obv Head of Septimius right laureate. Rv. Legionary eagle flanked by two military standards LEG III IT AVG in exergue TR.P. COS Bickford Smith 3 Murphy 342 3.06 grms 17 mm Legionary denarii were minted by Septimius Severus at Rome, Alexandria and Emesa. The denarii minted at Emesa honors the XIIII Gemina the Legion that was commanded by Septimius Severus and was first to acclaim him as emperor. As a result this legion has the lions share of legionary denarii minted at Rome as well as an issue of aurei and sestertii. Why the mint of Alexandria would choose to honor the IIIrd Italica is unknown. During the civil war fought between Septimius Severus and Pescennius Niger, a unit from this legion may have been sent there to garrison the city for Severus. However the answer might be even more simple. A denarius of this type from the mint of Rome was the first coin of this type seen by the mint masters at Alexandria and thus was copied. Denarius of Septimius Severus Emesa 194 AD Obv. Head right laureate. Rv Legionary Eagle flanked by two military standards LEG XIIII GEM M.V. In exergue TR.P COS RIC 397 3,26 grms 18 mm
Interesting article - thanks for sharing it, @Al Kowsky Here's another denarius of the seated captive type: Septimius Severus (195 A.D.) Rome Mint - Denarius 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; RSC 363; BMC 118. (2.67 grams / 18 mm) eBay May 2017
The caption on the Pertinax DIVVS denarius calls it a " AR Denarius Aureus." The "aureus" part is out of place. The OP sestertius taken from the article is rather touched up, but better than my example: 31 mm. 26.76 grams. PART ARAB PART ADIAB COS II PP in exergue RIC 690b :195" Sear II 6418. Coins of the Severans with a Parthian reference make a good collecting theme. Foss (Roman Historical Coins) lists them and there are quite a few.
It should be noted that there are a few variations when it comes to the eastern Legionary denarii of Septimius Severus over those wonderful examples illustrated by @Terence Cheesman above. His COS II example is much nicer than mine The same legion occurs on the AVG II C issue Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SE-V PERT AVG II C, laureate head right Rev:– LEG X-IIII GE-M M V / TR P COS, Legionary eagle between two standards Minted in Emesa. A.D. 194 Reference:– RIC -, BMCRE -. RSC - Ex H J Berk. 3.03g, 18.80mm, 0o There is another legion represented at this mint - LEG VIII Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG II CO, Laureate head right Rev:- LEG VIII AVO (sic) // CR (sic) P COS, Legionary eagle between two standards Minted in Emesa, A.D. 194 References:– Cohen -. BMC -. RIC -. RSC -. Possibly the third specimen known. The other examples are Oxford ex Walker, JNG 1978/1979, pl. 9, 4 which are both from the same die pair. The Alexandrian example above is wonderful. The Alexandrian issue also comes with the odd typographic error of AVI in place of AVG. AVG examples AVI example
That article was a painful read. The Alexandria mint legionary denarius shown is weak on the right side reverse legend (as are many of the type). Were it there, we would see the legend is LEG III IT AVI (There are rare ones (below) with AVG but the die in the article is AVI). Legion III Augusta was stationed in Africa (by Augustus) to guard the grain supply and would be the legion familiar with mint workers and the populace of Alexandria. Why, then, does the legend include IT? My opinion is that the coin was copied from an example from the Rome mint issue in honor of the completely different Legion III Italica like mine below. If the mint at Alexandria only saw one coin as a sample, I wonder if it was short the legend at the right so AVI or AVG was substituted believing the A in ITAL was the start of the name of their local legion. There is no reason to believe they understood or cared about the meaning of the IT. There exists a coin that reads LEG IIII IT AVG that once belonged to Barry Murphy that was nothing more than evidence that copying all those IIIII's could get confusing. These guys were ordered to make coins, not to make sense. I do not know the current location of that coin today but wish I had paid more than I thought it was worth back then. A smart person would have bought Barry's collection in its entirety. http://bpmurphy.ancients.info/severan/ssalex3.htm Where anyone got the idea that this coin had any relation to III Parthica is beyond me. As a matter of trivia, Legion III Augusta was disbanded by Gordian III for its role in the defeat of his grandfather and uncle. In Africa, they were just usurpers but when Maximinus was dead and Balbinus and Pupienus 'restored' them to full emperor status making the kid Caesar, the deceased pair became 'must have' coins in many collections. I do wonder if the elder Gordians ever saw a coin bearing their picture. Were any coins for them struck before they had died? My guess is no. I can prove nothing. Can you? It was mentioned that the Syrian mint (wherever you choose to place 'Emesa') issued coins for LEG VIII AVG as well as for XIIII GEMMV. Since some of these coins used the 'first legend' used at Rome in 193, some people continue to assign these coins to 193 as did I when I read and believed RIC/BMC. I'm not saying none were made before January 194 but having a legend ending AVG on an Eastern coin proves nothing. These coins tend to be struck on smallish flans so showing full data can require a lot of looking or settling for multiples that compliment each other. My best first legend, 'Emesa' VIII: with IICOS added to the reverse XIIII GEMMV pieced together I do wish that article had been reviewed by one of a half dozen CT regulars who might have had suggestions.
