It's taken a while, but I've managed to acquire examples of every denarius consecration issue Caracalla minted for his father on the occasion of Septimius Severus' deification in 211AD, and It thought it would be interesting and illustrative to depict them all here in one easy place for future reference.
The year was 210 AD and Septimius Severus was campaigning in Caledonia, which is modern day Scotland, trying to quell the tribes that had been raiding Britannia, and adding the honorific Britannicus Maximus to his already lengthy imperial string of titles. In the leadup to his death in 211, Septimius had won a series of victories over the Caledonians, despite hard fighting and guerilla tactics being employed against the Romans. A peace was negotiated that included territorial concessions to the empire. Later in the year, the Caledonians joined forces with more northern tribes and revolted, breaking the peace agreement.
Severus, being the uncompromising emperor that he was began preparations for a campaign of annihilation, where he planned to concentrate the legions' might and wipe out every last Caledonian to make this a safe part of Britain for Roman settlers. Cassius Dio tells us he famously decreed "Let no-one escape sheer destruction, no-one our hands, not even the babe in the womb of the mother, if it be male, let it nevertheless not escape sheer destruction."
Just as the renewed campaign was kicking off though, Severus got sick and died in Eboracum (Modern day York) on February 4, 2011. It is thought he died of complications related to chronic gout. He was 65 years old.
There are two versions of what his last words were, depending on the reference:
Firstly, and reportedly to his sons, Caracalla and Geta he said; "Be harmonious, enrich the soldiers, scorn all others". As wise as this might have been within 10 months Geta would be assassinated on Caracalla's orders.
Secondly, and reportedly to his entourage, he said; "The state, when I received it, was harassed on every side; I leave it at peace, even in Britain; old now and with crippled feet, I bequeath to my two Antonini an empire which is strong, if they prove good, feeble, if they prove bad." After this, he issued orders to give the tribune the watchword "Let us toil," because his most legitimate predecessor, Pertinax, when he assumed the imperial power, had given the word "Let us be soldiers".
Severus' ashes were entombed in Hadrian's Mausoleum, considered an exceptional honor at the time. After his death, Severus was deified by the Senate and succeeded by his sons, Caracalla and Geta, who were advised by Severus' widdow, Julia Domna.
Caracalla, being the elder son and emperor, ordered the mint of Rome to strike coins honoring Severus' deification. In precious metals, this included 5 different patterns of denarii and 2 patterns of aurei. All the obverses are identical, a bare headed bust of Severus with the legend DIVO SEVERO PIO proclaiming Severus as a new god. They differed in their reverses, which all shared the same legend; CONSECRATIO (consecration in English, declaring the memory of Severus to be sacred), as follows:
RIC 191A - Aureus - Eagle standing facing on lightning bolt, head left, wings displayed.
RIC 191B - Denarius, struck from the same dies as 191A above.
details and higher res photos here:
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=187615RIC 191C - Denarius - Eagle standing facing on globe, head left, wings displayed. (the most common coin in the series, yet there were only 10 in the Reka Devnia hoard, speaking to the rarity of all the coins in the series)
details and higher res photos here:
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=178684RIC 191D - Denarius - Eagle standing facing on low column or altar, head left.
details and higher res photos here:
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=179443RIC 191E - Denarius - Draped pulvinar (throne), on which lies a wreath; footstool below.
details and higher res photos here:
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=187637RIC 191F - Aureus - Funeral pyre, surmounted by quadriga.
RIC 191F - Denarius - Struck from the same dies as the aureus above.
details and higher res photos here:
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=171366
Recent Posts
