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ROMAN EMPIRE, Geta Sestertius BMC 230, 2 KNOWN
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AE Sestertius - 27.89 grams, 6 h
Obv: P SEPTIMIVS GETA PIVS AVG BRIT
Rev: ADVENTVS AVGVSTI
"Two spec. known previously: BMC 230, pl. 60.1, ex Capt. Smyth no. 361, "purchased at Mr. Willet's sale, in 1834," and my coll. ex NAC 1995, Friedrich Coll., lot 1701.
Surprisingly all three spec. are from different obv. and rev. dies.
The same type must have been struck on sestertii of Septimius and Caracalla too, but no specimens are known.
I know the obverse die in combination with five rev. dies of the type VICT BRIT TR P III COS II S C, Victory seated r. on arms, inscribing shield.
Date of that type is after Dec. 10, 210 (Geta becomes TR P III), but before news of Septimius' death at York on 4 Feb. 211 reached Rome (whereupon Geta became P P, not recorded in the VICT BRIT legend).
The ADVENTVS AVGVSTI type is exactly contemporaneous, and proves that, doubtless because of Septimius' illness, the emperors had made the decision to return to Rome and had communicated that intention to the Senate and people of the capital even before Septimius died.
BMC calls the figure leading the horse a "soldier". However, it seems to be a female with bare r. breast, therefore Virtus or Roma. She is helmeted, carries a vexillum over her r. shoulder, and leads the horse by the reins with her l. hand.
The emperor on horseback is laureate, wears military dress, raises his r. hand in greeting, and holds a spear pointing upwards under his l. arm." Curtis Clay
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