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Author Topic: Septimius Severus TRP XV snake?  (Read 530 times)

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Offline Lerian

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Septimius Severus TRP XV snake?
« on: December 16, 2014, 04:07:24 pm »
This is a common coin for Septimius Severus but BMC and RSC list variations in what Africa is holding.

SEVERVS PIVS AVG

PM TRP XV COS III PP

Africa wearing an elephant-skin head-dress, standing half-right, holding out fold of drapery (Cohen says basket of fruit in her bosom),
lion at her feet.

RSC: 493   BMC: 531-2    Rome AD 207

But other descriptions put her as holding a spear or possibly a snake.

Are these engravers variations or true variations of the type?


   


Offline Jochen

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Re: Septimius Severus TRP XV snake?
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2014, 05:23:33 pm »
But other descriptions put her as holding a spear or possibly a snake.

Holding a spear is the description of BMC 530, not 531. And if you look at the reverse Africa actually is holding out fold of drapery and you can recognize several fruits in the fold.

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Offline curtislclay

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Re: Septimius Severus TRP XV snake?
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2014, 06:36:33 pm »
I think Africa is meant to be holding out a fold of her drapery which contains wheat kernels, wheat ears, or both.

Sometimes a fold of her drapery also hangs down from her left hand, as on Lerian's second coin. I suppose it is this hanging fold which has been misinterpreted as a "spear" or "snake".
Curtis Clay

Offline Lerian

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Re: Septimius Severus TRP XV snake?
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2014, 03:05:25 am »
Thank you both for your answers.

It was something simple, yet annoying, as to deciding if they were meant to be differences or just style
that caused the reporting of these types to be listed.   

 

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