New Severina--Antioch mint with a very unusual hairstyle for her.

Post anything relevant, guys!

Happy to have added another coin to my Severina sub-collection. Usually, she's portrayed with a very "butch" hairstyle, such as these, and we on this forum frequently joke that the celators didn't know what she looked like, so they just depicted her husband Aurelian in drag:



But on this very late issue of Antioch--my new coin--she is portrayed as having the hairstyle of other third century empresses, such as Julia Mamaea, Otacilia Severa, Herennia Etruscilla, and Cornelia Salonina, who came before her.


Ulpia Severina, 270-275
Roman billon antoninianus, 4.17 g, 22 mm
Antioch mint, officina 4, issue 7, September – November 275
Obv: SEVERINA P F AVG, draped bust right, wearing stephane and set upon crescent
Rev: CONCORDIA AVG, Aurelian and Severina standing facing one another, clasping hands; Q // XXI
Refs: RIC 19; MER/RIC temp 3202; RCV 11702; BNC 1359; Cohen 1; Hunter 31.

A similar hairstyle is only found elsewhere in this issue from the Serdica mint, also from extremely late in her reign:


Severina, AD 270-275
Roman billon antoninianus; 4.01 g, 24.2 mm
Serdica, issue 8, November 274 – September 275
Obv: SEVERINA AVG, diademed and draped bust right on crescent
Rev: CONCORDIA AVGG, emperor and empress clasping hands, * in field between them; KA Δ in exergue
Refs: RIC 16; MER/RIC temp no 2827; RCV 11703; Cohen 2

Now, Serdica and Antioch are very far from each other geographically. I think this indicates that by the end of 275 AD, either she changed her hairstyle or a true representation of her features--perhaps in the form of statuary--came to the mints in Serdica and Antioch.

Another very interesting aspect of my new coin from Antioch is the bizarre obverse inscription with P F after her name and the singular form of AVG, as opposed to the plural form AVGG seen in the examples from the Rome and Serdica mints, above.

Sear (RCV III, p. 439) notes:

The unorthodox titulature in the obverse legend, reminiscent of Julia Domna's IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG, together with the singular ending of the reverse legend and the unusual type, strongly suggest that Severina was regarded in Antioch as a reigning empress at the time this issue was made.​

This, and other numismatic evidence, suggests that Severina ruled on her own after Aurelian's death, until the ascension of Tacitus to the throne, though the duration of this interregnum is much disputed by historians.

 

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Very nice find, a type I would get just for the hair.

 

Wow @Roman Collector nice recent acquisition! I am always curious why the Cellators would make the AVGUSTA such plain, or look-like-hubby busts on the coins. I would think they would want to glorify the ladies to really compliment the Emperors?

I only have one of her, and I do not think the coin compliments her real visage:


RI Severina Wife of Aurelian 274-275 CE BI22 Antoninianus 3.14g Rome mint Crescent Concordia RIC 317

Maybe you could shed more light?

 

Ohhh nice, yes very nice indeed.

 

My only Severina

SEVERINA
Antoninianus
OBVERSE: SEVERINA AVG, diademed, draped bust right on crescent
REVERSE: PROVIDEN DEOR, Fides with standard and Sol with globe standing facing each other
Struck at Ticinum, 275 AD
3.6g, 22mm
RIC 9

 

Wonderful examples @Roman Collector !! Nice write-up!!

My sole example appears to be your third post...but now I'm scratching my head to recall what the P F stood for----Ah, the joys of ageing and those wonderful 'senior moments'

 

It stands for pia felix, "pious and blessed," an honorific title.

 

And I would get it for the PF.... I even like year 7 Alexandria coins just because they might be 'sole reign'. I know we can't prove anything.

 

I'm embarrassed to say I don't look at Severina's coins on account of the portrait. My loss, apparently... what an excellent find!

 

The only Severina coin in my possession.

 

What a freaky, bean-shaped flan.

 

I was tempted to believe it was purposely cut that freaky way to look like a bean.

 

Nice!

 

One wonders what might have happened to her after Tacitus assumed the throne. I don't think there's any record of how or when she died, is there?

 

No. Her fate is lost to history.