Maison Palombo
Auction 19 12 Dec 2020
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Septime Sévère (193-211) - Aureus - Rome (202-210).
Très rare et magnifique exemplaire.
Seulement 16 exemplaires recensés par C. Clay (étude de coins inédite).
7.40g - C. 355 - RIC 282 - Cal. 2487
Superbe à FDC - CHOICE AU
This attractive coin, which is likely to have been found in the Karnak hoard of 1901, presents an unusual reverse type, telling the viewer that the emperor,
thanks to the help of Sol - god of the Sun, is Pacator Orbis - 'Pacifier of the world'. Sol is rarely found in Roman numismatics until the reign of Septimius Severus: the cult of Sol Invictus - 'Sol the undefeated/unconquered/invincible' (equated with Mithras) as a patron of soldiers, which was only made official under Aurelian on 25 December AD 274 (the date of the festival of Sol Invictus - which has been assumed to be the reason behind the choice of that date for Christmas), had likely been important to Severus's legions when they returned from the invasion of Mesopotamia in AD 195-197 (the last of the Roman-Parthian Wars). And this coin, though struck a decade later, does refer to these victories in the eastern Roman provinces - justifying Severus' claim to be 'restorer of peace (to the Roman world)': the sun, that raises in the East, is a type especially appropriate for celebrating Eastern successes. At the time of its strike, the emperor was campaigning in North Africa and Britain, and reminding the army of earlier successes was certainly a strategic choice.
Très rare et magnifique exemplaire.
Seulement 16 exemplaires recensés par C. Clay (étude de coins inédite).
7.40g - C. 355 - RIC 282 - Cal. 2487
Superbe à FDC - CHOICE AU
This attractive coin, which is likely to have been found in the Karnak hoard of 1901, presents an unusual reverse type, telling the viewer that the emperor,
thanks to the help of Sol - god of the Sun, is Pacator Orbis - 'Pacifier of the world'. Sol is rarely found in Roman numismatics until the reign of Septimius Severus: the cult of Sol Invictus - 'Sol the undefeated/unconquered/invincible' (equated with Mithras) as a patron of soldiers, which was only made official under Aurelian on 25 December AD 274 (the date of the festival of Sol Invictus - which has been assumed to be the reason behind the choice of that date for Christmas), had likely been important to Severus's legions when they returned from the invasion of Mesopotamia in AD 195-197 (the last of the Roman-Parthian Wars). And this coin, though struck a decade later, does refer to these victories in the eastern Roman provinces - justifying Severus' claim to be 'restorer of peace (to the Roman world)': the sun, that raises in the East, is a type especially appropriate for celebrating Eastern successes. At the time of its strike, the emperor was campaigning in North Africa and Britain, and reminding the army of earlier successes was certainly a strategic choice.