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<p>[QUOTE="Blake Davis, post: 6329965, member: 91820"]This is my continuation of the above:</p><p><br /></p><p>All three of these coins were struck at the time that Septimius was campaigning in Britain ca 211AD. The longer stringy beard style of portraiture for Septimius bears a very close resemblance to his CONSECRATION types - it could simply be the same celator but it could also be that the coins were made in a close proximity of time to one another. The other support for the closeness in time to Septimius' death for this coin is the rarity of the type for Geta - Caracalla murdered Geta not long after the return of Caracalla and Geta to Rome from Britain. It could be that those of this type struck for Geta were quickly disposed of - all of this speculation of course.</p><p><br /></p><p>Much of our knowledge of the history of this time comes from the historian Cassius Dio, who was alive through at least the early part of the reign of Elagabalus. Dio's history (epitome, for this period), the translation of which below, is in the public domain, is fascinating, and says, with respect to the the British expedition, which this coin celebrates:</p><p>________________________________________________________</p><p> "Severus, seeing that his sons [Caracalla a/k/a Antoninus and Geta] were changing their mode of life and that the legions were becoming enervated by idleness, made a campaign against Britain, though he knew that he should not return. He knew this chiefly from the stars under which he had been born....</p><p> </p><p>Severus, accordingly, desiring to subjugate the whole of Britain, invaded Caledonia. But as he advanced through the country he experienced countless hardships in cutting down the forests, levelling the heights, filling up the swamps, and bridging the rivers; but he fought no battle and beheld no enemy in battle array. ....... Severus did not desist until he approached the extremity of the island. Here he observed most accurately the variation of the sun's motion and the length of the days and the nights in summer and winter respectively. Having thus been conveyed through practically the whole of the hostile country, he returned to the friendly portion, after he had forced the Britons to come to terms, on the condition that they should abandon a large part of their territory......</p><p><br /></p><p>When the inhabitants of the island again revolted, he summoned the soldiers and ordered them to invade the rebels' country, killing everybody they met......</p><p><br /></p><p>While he was thus engaged, his sickness carried him off on the fourth of February, not without some help, they say, from Antoninus [Caracalla]. At all events, before Severus died, he is reported to have spoken thus to his sons "Be harmonious, enrich the soldiers, and scorn all other men."....</p><p><br /></p><p>[Upon his return to Rome] Antoninus wished to murder his brother [Geta] at the Saturnalia, but was unable to do so; for his evil purpose had already become too manifest to remain concealed, and so there now ensued many sharp encounters between the two, each of whom felt that the other was plotting against him, and many defensive measures were taken on both sides. Since many soldiers and athletes, therefore, were guarding Geta, both abroad and at home, day and night alike, Antoninus induced his mother to summon them both, unattended, to her apartment, with a view to reconciling them. Thus Geta was persuaded, and went in with him; but when they were inside, some centurions, previously instructed by Antoninus, rushed in a body and struck down Geta, who at sight of them had run to his mother, hung about her neck and clung to her bosom and breasts, lamenting and crying: "Mother that didst bear me, mother that didst bear me, help! I am being murdered." And so she, tricked in this way, saw her son perishing in the most impious fashion in her arms, and received him at his death into the very womb, as it were, whence he had been born; for she was all covered with his blood, so that she took no note of the wound she had received on her hand."</p><p><br /></p><p>------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>The three coins pictured above are one of at least two reverse types common to all three, the other I know of off hand include a CONCORDIA type with all three sacrificing. From memory it would have been a year before the coins above - TRP XIII - for Caracalla. More common than these, I have the dated CONCORDIA types for Caracalla and Septimius but not Geta which is far more rare than the other two.</p><p><br /></p><p>What would be interesting to know would be when Geta was struck down - I will add that information to this article along with the weight and size of these interesting types.</p><p><br /></p><p>Those who are also in this hobby will understand my excitement when I won the Septimius. And my anguish, when for a week or two, the post office misplaced the parcel - dealing with it was an exercise in patience. As it turned out the package suddenly appeared and all was well. </p><p><br /></p><p>Any additional information would be appreciated, including on the history of the period, which is limited.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Blake Davis, post: 6329965, member: 91820"]This is my continuation of the above: All three of these coins were struck at the time that Septimius was campaigning in Britain ca 211AD. The longer stringy beard style of portraiture for Septimius bears a very close resemblance to his CONSECRATION types - it could simply be the same celator but it could also be that the coins were made in a close proximity of time to one another. The other support for the closeness in time to Septimius' death for this coin is the rarity of the type for Geta - Caracalla murdered Geta not long after the return of Caracalla and Geta to Rome from Britain. It could be that those of this type struck for Geta were quickly disposed of - all of this speculation of course. Much of our knowledge of the history of this time comes from the historian Cassius Dio, who was alive through at least the early part of the reign of Elagabalus. Dio's history (epitome, for this period), the translation of which below, is in the public domain, is fascinating, and says, with respect to the the British expedition, which this coin celebrates: ________________________________________________________ "Severus, seeing that his sons [Caracalla a/k/a Antoninus and Geta] were changing their mode of life and that the legions were becoming enervated by idleness, made a campaign against Britain, though he knew that he should not return. He knew this chiefly from the stars under which he had been born.... Severus, accordingly, desiring to subjugate the whole of Britain, invaded Caledonia. But as he advanced through the country he experienced countless hardships in cutting down the forests, levelling the heights, filling up the swamps, and bridging the rivers; but he fought no battle and beheld no enemy in battle array. ....... Severus did not desist until he approached the extremity of the island. Here he observed most accurately the variation of the sun's motion and the length of the days and the nights in summer and winter respectively. Having thus been conveyed through practically the whole of the hostile country, he returned to the friendly portion, after he had forced the Britons to come to terms, on the condition that they should abandon a large part of their territory...... When the inhabitants of the island again revolted, he summoned the soldiers and ordered them to invade the rebels' country, killing everybody they met...... While he was thus engaged, his sickness carried him off on the fourth of February, not without some help, they say, from Antoninus [Caracalla]. At all events, before Severus died, he is reported to have spoken thus to his sons "Be harmonious, enrich the soldiers, and scorn all other men.".... [Upon his return to Rome] Antoninus wished to murder his brother [Geta] at the Saturnalia, but was unable to do so; for his evil purpose had already become too manifest to remain concealed, and so there now ensued many sharp encounters between the two, each of whom felt that the other was plotting against him, and many defensive measures were taken on both sides. Since many soldiers and athletes, therefore, were guarding Geta, both abroad and at home, day and night alike, Antoninus induced his mother to summon them both, unattended, to her apartment, with a view to reconciling them. Thus Geta was persuaded, and went in with him; but when they were inside, some centurions, previously instructed by Antoninus, rushed in a body and struck down Geta, who at sight of them had run to his mother, hung about her neck and clung to her bosom and breasts, lamenting and crying: "Mother that didst bear me, mother that didst bear me, help! I am being murdered." And so she, tricked in this way, saw her son perishing in the most impious fashion in her arms, and received him at his death into the very womb, as it were, whence he had been born; for she was all covered with his blood, so that she took no note of the wound she had received on her hand." ------------------------------------------------------------------ The three coins pictured above are one of at least two reverse types common to all three, the other I know of off hand include a CONCORDIA type with all three sacrificing. From memory it would have been a year before the coins above - TRP XIII - for Caracalla. More common than these, I have the dated CONCORDIA types for Caracalla and Septimius but not Geta which is far more rare than the other two. What would be interesting to know would be when Geta was struck down - I will add that information to this article along with the weight and size of these interesting types. Those who are also in this hobby will understand my excitement when I won the Septimius. And my anguish, when for a week or two, the post office misplaced the parcel - dealing with it was an exercise in patience. As it turned out the package suddenly appeared and all was well. Any additional information would be appreciated, including on the history of the period, which is limited.[/QUOTE]
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Septimius Caracalla Geta Sestertii - 3 of Same Reverse
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