Featured Severus Alexander: a mummy's boy.

Wow. What a wide range. Must have irritated bankers and businessmen! And private individuals as well!

 

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Severus Alexander, Ruled 222-235 AD
AR Denarius, Struck 224 AD, Rome mint
Obverse: IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG, bust of Severus Alexander, laureate, draped, right.
Reverse: P M TR P III COS P P, Severus Alexander, laureate, in military attire with cloak behind back, standing left, holding globe in right hand and spear reversed in left hand.
References: RIC IV 44c


Severus Alexander, Ruled 222-235 AD
AE As, Struck 225 AD, Rome mint
Obverse: IMP CAES M AVR SEV ALEXANDER AVG, Bust of Severus Alexander, laureate, draped, right.
Reverse: P M TR P IIII COS P P, Severus Alexander, in military attire, standing left, holding globe in right hand and spear reversed in left hand, S-C in field.
References: RIC IV 435
Size: 26.5mm, 10.2g


Severus Alexander, AE Dupondius
Struck 224 AD, Rome mint
Obverse: IMP CAES M AVR SEV ALEXANDER AVG, Bust of Severus Alexander, radiate, draped, right.
Reverse: PONTIF MAX TR P III COS P P, Severus Alexander, in military attire, standing left, holding globe in right hand and inverted spear in left hand, S-C in field.
References: RIC IV 420h
Size: 25mm, 8.3g

I'm still on the look out for a sestertius of the type!

Edit:

@gogili1977 Is that one a sestertius? I'd assume yes, based on the size of the legend and devices. Cool!!

 

Typical oblong flan of the mid third century Sestertii:

Severus Alexander, 222-235 A.D. VICTORIA AVGVSTI

 

..hehe....not a good system when you have to weigh coins to make change..><

 

Yes, sestertius. I don't have as and dupondius.

 

Doug,

Your first three denarii are Eastern, but your fourth, MARTI PACIFERO, is mint of Rome, wouldn't you agree?

 

Happy B'day Alex !!

Great coins all
The nice thing with Severus Alexander's coins is most often their availability on the market in nice condition and at afordable price.

Grandma' Maesa :


Julia Maesa, Denarius - Rome mint AD 218-220
IVLIA MAESA AVG, Bust of Maesa right
IVNO, Juno standing left holding patera and sceptre
3.48 gr
Ref : RCV #7750, Cohen #16


Mom' Mamaea :


Julia Mamea, denarius - Rome mint AD 228
IVLIA MAMEA AVG, Draped and diademed bust of Mamea right
FELICITAS PUBLICA, Felicity standing left, holding a caduceus and leaning on a column
3.39 gr
Ref : Cohen #17, RCV #8209



Julia Mamaea, Sestertius - Rome mint, AD 224
IVLIA MAMA EA AVGVSTA, Draped and diademed bust right
VENERI FELICI, Venus standing right, holding Cupid and a sceptre. SC in field
17.85 gr
Ref : RIC # 694, RCV # 8232, Cohen # 62


Lil' boy :


Severus Alexander, Denarius - Rome mint, AD 225
IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG, Laureate head of Severus Alexander right
IOVI VLTORI, Jupiter seated left holding victory and spear
3.26 gr
Ref : RCV #7873 (75), Cohen #97



Severus Alexander, Denarius - Rome mint, AD 225
IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG, Laureate and draped bust right
P M TRP IIII COS P P Mars advancing right, carrying spear and trophy
3.19 gr
Ref : RCV # 7898 (75), C # 260



Severus Alexander, Denarius - Rome mint, AD 232
IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG, laureate head right
PROVIDENTIA AVG, Providentia standing left, holding cornucopia and branch, modius at feet
3.67 gr
Ref : RIC # 250, Cohen # 501, RCV # 7922 (75)



Severus Alexander, Sestertius - Rome mint AD 231
IMP SEV ALEXANDER AVG, Laureate bust of Severus Alexander righ, with light drapery on left shoulder
IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, holding thunderbolt and sceptre, with a small figure of the emperor at his feet, SC in field
14.75 gr
Ref : RCV #7966, Cohen # 74


Q

 

Great coins, Cucumbor!! Especially the last sestertius!

 

My only coin of Severus Alexander:

Severus Alexander AR Denarius. Obv. Laureate head right, IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG. / Rev. Fides standing left holding standard in each hand, FIDES MILITVM. RIC IV-2 139, RSC III 52, Sear RCV II 7864. 19 mm., 2.9 g.

 

Hi All,

An Alexandrian Drachm of Alex Sev. Emmett-3157.10 (R4); G-2453; Dattari-4444, pl xxxi & DS-10011; Milne-3046; Staffieri 'Alexandria In Nummis' #208




From CNG Triton XXI Stafierri: "The palm frond on Severus Alexander’s regnal year 10 coinage alludes to the decennalia ludi, public games celebrating the completion of a ten-year reign. He would continue to use the palm frond on his coinage through his year 14 coinage."

- Broucheion

 

Yes, I cataloged it incorrectly 20 years ago and never looked back. Thank you.

 

I have too many SAs to bore you with. In these "interesting times" I think the following coin is relevant however...

Obv:– IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG, Laureate head right
Rev:– VIRVS (sic) AVG, Virtus standing right, holding reversed spear and victory



I apologise for the poor image. I need to track it down and do it the justice of a more up to date photograph.

 

Missed this great thread. Here are some of my favourite SAs.

SA as Caesar (denarius). The Indulgentia reverse is unusual in this context, and seems to represent Elagabalus's "great magnanimity" in naming SA Caesar despite his past perceived transgressions. Bestowing the title was probably orchestrated by Julia Maesa.


I have a thing for SA's middle bronzes, and this is one of my favourites: an accession issue dupondius advertising a liberality:



I also like this childlike portrait on an early issue (222-223) from Alexandria:


... and the slightly older-looking portrait on this sestertius from 223:



This next one is actually a medallion (or "pseudo-medallion" in Toynbee's terminology), with indications on the edge that it was enclosed in a frame. The dies are as-sized, but the coin is sestertius sized (it was listed in the auction catalogue as an ordinary sestertius). The legend/type combo is not in RIC. Probably it was a ceremonial New Year's issue for when SA received his third tribunician power in 224. I feel very lucky to have this coin, which I doubt I could have afforded if it had been described correctly!



Here's another medallion, though ordinary as-sized in this case. It lacks "S C" on the reverse, indicating it's a special issue, for the third liberality in 226. It has a cool pedigree too: the G.G. collection of middle bronzes, the R. D. Frederick collection, the Curtis Clay collection, and then back to the collection of the Marquis de Albrecht Hohenkubin (von Kubinzky)(1885-1972). His home was bombed out in WWII and the only reason his collection survived is because it was not dug out of the rubble until 1955.



I like this ceremonial reverse type (as, issued 229):



Dupondii of the period don't come much nicer than this (issued 231):



SA is off to Persia! (This will not end well!!) (Another as, also from 231.)



And we come to the end of the reign in 235. I'll never forgive that bully MaxThrax!! Almost everyone regretted the change in emperor, at least eventually.

 

When I saw the title of this thread I thought there might be an Egyptian connection. Here's a nice overview of the 4 Roman Julias: Powerful Women of Imperial Rome.
I will add a coin of the "Mummy's Boy" or "Mamaea's Boy", Severus Alexander, that I am fairly sure is Rome mint - and hope that @dougsmit, @curtislclay or others will correct me if I have it wrong. I've always had difficulty passing up a Salus reverse, and even more so this year. I particularly like the youthful portrait from his first year - the youngest emperor, until Gordian III in AD 238 - I also like the bold snake on this coin.

Severus Alexander, AR denarius, 222-235 AD, Rome or Antioch (?), 222 AD
Obv: IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG, bust laureate, draped, cuirassed right
Rev: P M TR P - COS P P, Salus seated left holding patera to snake rising from altar, left elbow on arm rest
Ref: RIC 14c (style difference?) RIC 298 (Severus Alexander) (different legend)

A few pages of Herodian are interesting to read, describing the plans of Julia Maesa to keep her offspring in control of Rome as Heliogabalus (Elagabalus) became increasingly unacceptable. He also describes how Alexianus became Alexander, and the control exerted by Maesa and Mamaea over the young emperor:

"...the emperor was dominated by his mother and obeyed her every command. One might bring this single charge against Alexander, that his excessive amiability and abnormal filial devotion led him to bow to his mother in matters he personally disapproved."
-Herodian, History of the Roman Empire since the Death of Marcus Aurelius, 6.1.10​

Here's a coin of the power behind the emperor:

Julia Mamaea, Issued by Severus Alexander, 222 - 235 AD, AR Denarius, Rome Mint
Obv: IVLIA MAMAEA AVG, Bust of Julia Mamaea, diademed, draped, right
Rev: FELICITAS PVBLICA, Felicitas, draped, seated left, holding caduceus in right hand and cornucopiae in left hand
Ref: RIC IV Severus Alexander 338

 

@Sulla80,
That Severus Alexander looks like Antioch rather than Rome.

My most recent Severus Alexander is shown below.

Severus Alexander denarius

Obv:– IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG, Laureate, draped bust right
Rev:– CONCORDIA, Concordia seated left holding patera and cornucopiae
Minted in Antioch .
Reference:– RIC 275. RSC 38

Ex Dereham hoard (found December 2004 and January 2007). Part of Lot 69 from the Dix Noonan Webb Auction containing the majority of the hoard sold in London on 9th April 2008.

3.58g. 18.73mm. 0 degrees

 

My interest in Eastern Severans is strong early and fall greatly by the time of Alexander so my opinions are not worth a lot. There are quite a few Alexanders that I find 'middle ground' including one which was corrected by Curtis earlier in this thread.

I see yours in this group. Right now I'll guess Rome but I would like to see metallurgical evidence on the coins that might shed light on which coins were made where. Understand I am not proposing a third mint or coins made one place and shipped to another or, for that matter, anything but I am just saying I'd prefer we allow for future reexamination. There are too many possibilities (again, I am not proposing this). What would be the evidence on coins if staff from Antioch were moved to Rome and gradually assimilated Roman style? We walk a fine line between writing historical fiction and dismissing what will eventually be thought to be truth.

 

Thanks, Doug, I appreciate your thoughts. Wrestling with the question of how did a coin from Antioch end up with a legend from Rome or equally how did coin of Rome have a style of Antioch, your practical example helps to at least imagine possibilities - a Roman in Antioch, a Syrian in Rome, dies moving around.....I will enjoy the ambiguity unless someone has more evidence...