I recently completed this set from the year of five emperors. I was perfectly content until learning that this issue of Septimius was not commemorating the victory over Clodius (as I had believed) but rather the games that were held before departing on his second Parthian campaign. I am now looking for a denarius of Septimius that will better fit this set. Any suggestions?
Declaring a victory against a specific foe when that foe was a Roman who had recently been your Caesar would be tacky at best. After all it was Romans he was killing. I'd suggest any later period Emesa mint Victory type after the obverse legends had settled onto COS II. You probably don't want the last ones with dated reverses (too late?). These might work.
Thanks for the kind comments. Doug, those are some nice pieces to choose from. I have no idea how rare / common these types might be. According to Curtis Clay, Albinus broke with Severus c. Nov. 195, but was defeated and killed by Severus near Lugdunum, not on 19 Feb. 197 as traditionally stated, but a year earlier on 19 Feb. 196, after a revolt lasting only about three months. A victory issue dating to early 196 would certainly fit the bill. Do the types you show fall into that time period?
I would place them in later 195. If you want something after the defeat of Albinus after the closure of the Emesa mint, you might want a Laodicea coin since that mint stayed open later through the Parthian campaign. Many of those would be during the Parthian period so picking one would be hard for me. Perhaps an IMP II type?
They should change the name from the year of the five emperors to the year of the best beards. Awesome set!
Another approach would be to replace the later Septimius and Albinus with 193 types. Avoid dating devices like COS II on either side of the coin. For Septimius there are many with TRP COS but no numerals on the reverse.
oh wow, what a cool group. that double stuck one is very interesting. five bearded dudes ....i think we could have a much more entertaining series with with these guys than our current 5 bearded dudes show.
Yes, I considered that but I want to stick with Albinus as Augustus. I will look through the IMP II types, I appreciate the help.
Thanks, these were a lot of fun to put together. I also like the double struck Niger, it illustrates the high level of quality control at the mint. He was obviously issuing a massive amount of coinage to pay troops and buy loyalty. The scarcity of his coinage belies the fact that it was struck on a monumental scale and in staggering variety. We can only assume that after his defeat at the hands of Septimius Severus in AD 194 his coins were meticulously recalled and melted down.
Thanks Whiz. The beards are out of control. My favorite beard by far is Albinus. When allied with Septimius Severus, Clodius Albinus’ portraits show him with hair combed forward to cover a receding hairline matched with a short scruffy beard. When Septimius Severus named his son Caracalla Caesar, Albinus understood this as the end of their alliance and the beginning of a fight for his life. Ablinus took the title of Augustus (Imperator Caesar Decimus Clodius Septimius Albinus Augustus), and his portrait quickly converts to a full head of hair and voluminous beard worthy of an Emperor!
I didn't even know that was a set!! Wow ... that's so fricken cool, Nemo (I now have another want-list-direction to follow!!)
Why do you judge me so harshly, my friend? ... you're a bit high and mighty, eh? Here is the link to the answer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_of_the_Five_Emperors ... I only have one of them => yup, good ol Sep-Sev!! => at times, you kinda suck as a coin-friend, my friend ...
Ooops, no sorry ... I was merely teasing with you, my ol' friend Gawd, I thought that you knew me better than that, JW McFricken Harper!!
I think I do. But I remember a time long ago, when you thought I said I was buying something you had your eye on, when in fact I wasn't. Anyway, I know I can be misunderstood in my "not so funny" remarks. Just makin' sure. I know you people up in the frozen north sometimes need thawing out.
