Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 131 30 May 2022
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Septimius Severus, 193 – 211
Sestertius 193, Æ 28.19 g. IMP CAES L SEPT – SEV PERT AVG Laureate head r. Rev. LEG X – IIII –GE – M M V Aquila between two signa, in field, S – C. In exergue, TR P COS. C 275. BMC 471. RIC 652.
Very rare. An extraordinary portrait of excellent style and a pleasant dark
brown patina somewhat smoothed, otherwise good extremely fine
Ex Münzhandlung Basel 3, 1935, Prince W., 650; Hess-Leu 41, 1969, 275; NFA XII, 1983, 322 and Leu 36, 1985, 291sales. Expertly conserved prior to the Leu sale.
Throughout 192 AD, Commodus had shown himself to be increasingly unhinged and dangerous to the elite of Rome. In response, a plot was formed by members of the imperial court and on New Year's Eve of 193, he was assassinated. In his place, the Urban Prefect P. Helvius Pertinax was proclaimed Emperor. As the new master of the Roman Empire, Pertinax had the unenviable duty of trying to restore order to the chaos of corruption and mismanagement that had spiraled out of control under Commodus. Some of his reforms included the return of discipline to the Praetorian cohorts and the institution of financial restraint. Unfortunately, these reforms, which were entirely reasonable to rein in the great excesses of the Commodian period, did not go over very well with the Praetorians, who had expected a lavish donative when Pertinax came to power. On 28 March 193, only three months into his reign, Pertinax found the imperial palace surrounded by 300 angry Praetorians. Rather foolishly, Pertinax tried to reason with them, but was struck down and killed. In an effort to claim the reward that they believed to be their due, the Praetorians then returned to camp where they began an auction for the imperial title. It was ultimately sold to Didius Julianus in return for a payment of 25,000 sestertii to every guardsman. The sale and purchase of the imperial title was a tremendous blow to the dignity of Roman power and to the office of Emperor. As a result, Julianus was deeply unpopular with both the Senate and people of Rome. When word of the unrest of Rome reached the provinces, three commanders, Clodius Albinus in Britannia, Septimius Severus in Pannonia, and Pescennius Niger decided to lead their armies to destroy Julianus and seize power for themselves. This beautiful sestertius celebrates the pivotal moment on 9 April 193 when the soldiers of legio XIV Gemina acclaimed their commander, Septimius Severus as a rival emperor to Julianus and his military colleagues who had also claimed the imperial title. As the Pannonian legion was closer to Rome than were the forces of Albinus and Niger, Severus was able to reach the capital of the Empire the fastest and receive senatorial recognition first. Julianus was declared a public enemy and killed on 2 June 193. The murdered Pertinax was subsequently deified and Severus assumed the mantle of his avenger. Hence, the inclusion of PERT in his imperial titulature on the obverse.
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Sestertius 193, Æ 28.19 g. IMP CAES L SEPT – SEV PERT AVG Laureate head r. Rev. LEG X – IIII –GE – M M V Aquila between two signa, in field, S – C. In exergue, TR P COS. C 275. BMC 471. RIC 652.
Very rare. An extraordinary portrait of excellent style and a pleasant dark
brown patina somewhat smoothed, otherwise good extremely fine
Ex Münzhandlung Basel 3, 1935, Prince W., 650; Hess-Leu 41, 1969, 275; NFA XII, 1983, 322 and Leu 36, 1985, 291sales. Expertly conserved prior to the Leu sale.
Throughout 192 AD, Commodus had shown himself to be increasingly unhinged and dangerous to the elite of Rome. In response, a plot was formed by members of the imperial court and on New Year's Eve of 193, he was assassinated. In his place, the Urban Prefect P. Helvius Pertinax was proclaimed Emperor. As the new master of the Roman Empire, Pertinax had the unenviable duty of trying to restore order to the chaos of corruption and mismanagement that had spiraled out of control under Commodus. Some of his reforms included the return of discipline to the Praetorian cohorts and the institution of financial restraint. Unfortunately, these reforms, which were entirely reasonable to rein in the great excesses of the Commodian period, did not go over very well with the Praetorians, who had expected a lavish donative when Pertinax came to power. On 28 March 193, only three months into his reign, Pertinax found the imperial palace surrounded by 300 angry Praetorians. Rather foolishly, Pertinax tried to reason with them, but was struck down and killed. In an effort to claim the reward that they believed to be their due, the Praetorians then returned to camp where they began an auction for the imperial title. It was ultimately sold to Didius Julianus in return for a payment of 25,000 sestertii to every guardsman. The sale and purchase of the imperial title was a tremendous blow to the dignity of Roman power and to the office of Emperor. As a result, Julianus was deeply unpopular with both the Senate and people of Rome. When word of the unrest of Rome reached the provinces, three commanders, Clodius Albinus in Britannia, Septimius Severus in Pannonia, and Pescennius Niger decided to lead their armies to destroy Julianus and seize power for themselves. This beautiful sestertius celebrates the pivotal moment on 9 April 193 when the soldiers of legio XIV Gemina acclaimed their commander, Septimius Severus as a rival emperor to Julianus and his military colleagues who had also claimed the imperial title. As the Pannonian legion was closer to Rome than were the forces of Albinus and Niger, Severus was able to reach the capital of the Empire the fastest and receive senatorial recognition first. Julianus was declared a public enemy and killed on 2 June 193. The murdered Pertinax was subsequently deified and Severus assumed the mantle of his avenger. Hence, the inclusion of PERT in his imperial titulature on the obverse.
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