As in the case of her husband Aurelian, several mints struck coins in the name of Severina. Her portrait varies from mint to mint and occasionally between issues at the same mint (see Antioch, bottom). I've managed to acquire at least one of her coins from each mint with the exception of Lugdunum. Here's my Severina portrait gallery arranged by mint. Post anything you feel is relevant! Lugdunum: Antoninianus, RIC 1, specimen sold by Alde, October 21, 2013, lot 257. Rome: Antoninianus, RIC 3 AE as, RIC 7 Ticinum: Antoninianus, RIC 9. Siscia: Antoninianus, RIC 13. Serdica: Antoninianus, RIC 16. Note the wavy hairstyle reminiscent of earlier 3rd century empresses, such as Otacilia Severa, Herennia Etruscilla, and Cornelia Salonina. Cyzicus: Antoninianus, RIC 18. This hairstyle is unique to this mint. Antioch: Antoninianus, RIC 20, sixth emission. The hairstyle resembles that of Siscia, but changes with the seventh emission, below: Antoninianus, RIC 19, 7th and final emission. Note change in hairstyle from that of the 6th emission. Only Serdica and Antioch minted coins with this Otacilia-Severa-style coiffure and only in the final year of her reign.
Excellent set of Severinas Roman Collector. I have only one Severina: SEVERINA (Augusta, 270-275). Antoninianus. Rome. Obv: SEVERINA AVG. Draped bust right, wearing stephane and set upon crescent. Rev: CONCORDIAE MILITVM / Γ / XXIR. Concordia standing facing, head left, holding signum in each hand. RIC 4. RIC online 1818.
I really am surprised we don't see more emphasis placed on identifying coins struck after the death of Aurelian. I have not studied the matter but coins suspected to be from the sole reign of an empress would seem to be as special as are, for example, lifetime Alexander issues if there were any chance of proper ID. Is hairstyle in any way related to this question? My only antoninianus: I'll add an Alexandrian tetradrachm from the last year (ETOYC Z = year 7).
Great thread @Roman Collector . I have an example from the final emmision of Antioch (i.e. After the death of Aurelian) Roman Empire Ulpia Severina Augusta, AD 274-275 BI Anoninianus, Antioch mint, struck ca. AD 275 Wt.: 4.1 g Dia.: 23 mm, 12h Obv.: SEVERINA PF AVG; Diademed, draped bust right, set on a crescent. Rev.: CONCORDIA AVG; Emperor and Empress standing, facing, clasping hands.; Q //XXI Ref.: RIC V 19 Ex JAZ Numismatics Write up: Heroes of the Third Century: Aurelian and Severina
I am lucky enough to have gathered three Lugdunum specimens over the years. They have not been easy to obtain.
In the case of the Antioch mint, there is a change in hairstyle and obverse legend that occurs between the 6th emission (early 275 – September 275), as exemplified by your coin, MER/RIC temp #3198, and the 7th emission (September – November 275), as exemplified by @Curtisimo 's example, MER/RIC temp #3202. P F (Pia Felix) is added to the obverse inscription and the hairstyle changes from straight to very wavy, reminiscent of the style worn by previous empresses. All seven specimens cited by MER/RIC demonstrate this change in coiffure. Sear (RCV III, p. 439) comments about the new obverse inscription: 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. The death of Aurelian in late September, 275 certainly correlates with these changes in the coinage. The only other mint depicting Severina with this hairstyle is that of Serdica, MER/RIC temp #2827, which includes portraits featuring a straight-haired coiffure as well as with a wavy style. The authors of MER/RIC do not assign a separate catalog number for those with the straight hairstyle (plate coin) and those with the wavy hairstyle (such as the Paris Specimen, Pflaum 543). Pflaum, however, assigns #542 to the straight hairstyle and #543 to the wavy one. Estiot (BNC) assigns separate numbers to each example in the Bibliothèque Nationale's collection -- #1057 and 1059 feature the straight-haired coiffure, while 1058 features the wavy hair. The authors of MER/RIC assign this coin to the 8th issue of this mint, from November 274 – September 275. They do note a 9th issue after the death of Aurelian, MER/RIC temp #2828, which they assign to September – November 275. It is distinguished from the pre-death issues by the addition of dots to the mintmark, such that it reads KA•Γ• in the exergue. So, in reply to your question, in Antioch, a change in hairstyle appears to correlate with the death of Aurelian. In Serdica, it apparently does not. ~~~ S. Estiot, Bibliothèque nationale. Catalogue des monnaies de l’Empire romain (BNCMER) XII.1. D’Aurélien à Florien (Paris-Strasbourg, 2004).
No, they aren't easy to find. Nice examples. I note different officinas and mintmarks with and without dots.
The only one that I have is from Cyzikus, with typical hairstyle and much less Aurelian’s drag queen face: RIC V 18
There is an excellent novel with Severina and Aurelian as main characters, The Unconquered Sun, by Ralph Dulin, copyright 1963. I highly recommend it. The description of travel of Severina from Rome to Sirmium was eye-opening. You can study ancient history from history books and not get any feeling for what life might have been like in areas devastated by invasions. There are lots of novels set in the time of Caesar or Augustus or the first century, or under Constantine with his conversion to Christianity, but this one is the best I've read set in the late third century.
A wonderful collection of Severina portraits! Needless to say it's quite educational to see them all together like that.
