Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 138 18-19 May 2023
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Geta caesar, 198 – 209.
Aureus 207, AV 7.28 g. P SEPTIMIVS – GETA CAES Bare-headed, draped, and cuirassed bust l. Rev. PONTIF – COS Bacchus and Ariadne seated l.; herm behind, panther at feet of Bacchus; behind, Silenos, satyr, double-flute player, and two maenads. C –. BMC p. 243, *. RIC 33. Biaggi 1260 (this coin). Calicó 2897 (this coin).
Of the highest rarity, the finest of only five specimens known. A very elegant portrait of
great beauty, the work of a very talented engraver, struck in high relief on a full flan.
A very interesting and incredibly detailed reverse composition.
Virtually as struck and almost Fdc
Ex NAC sale 8, 1995, 880. From the Leo Biaggi de Blasys collection (privately purchased from Cahn in August 1954) This coin is illustrated in The Roman Aurei by X. E. Calicó. P. Septimius Geta was the second son born to Septimius Severus and Julia Domna on 7 March 189. He was only four years old when his father defeated his rivals for power and assumed the imperial purple at the end of the bloody Year of the Five Emperors (AD 193). At first Severus ruled alone as sole Augustus, but the many administrative and military needs of the Empire caused him to elevate Caracalla, Geta's older brother to the rank of Augustus in AD 198, although he was only fifteen. At the same time, Geta, who was only one year younger than Caracalla, was given the lesser title of Caesar. Geta shared two consulships with Caracalla (in AD 205 and 208), but grew increasingly jealous that his brother was given a position of real power while he had only a minor role in ruling the Empire. This jealousy evolved into a deep hatred and resentment between the brothers that was only mollified by the frequent intervention of their mother. This inimical relationship became so bad that in AD 209 Septimius Severus finally elevated Geta to the position of Augustus, thereby making him equal to Caracalla. Afterwards the three Augusti made war on the Caledonians in Britannia, but the campaign was brought to an early conclusion when Severus fell ill and died at Eboracum (York) on 4 February AD 211. Upon the death of their father, Geta and Caracalla succeeded him as joint emperors, but their years of bitterness and hatred made it impossible for them to share power. They did not even last an entire year as co-rulers of the Roman Empire. On 26 December AD 211, Caracalla arranged a meeting with his brother, ostensibly to make peace with him, but instead had him murdered. Struck down by sword blows, Geta fell and died in his mother's arms. This spectacular and rare aureus of Geta was struck around AD 205 to celebrate his assumption of his first consulship alongside his brother and his role in the office of pontifex (priest). Although in Republican times members of the college of pontifices were normally elected, after Augustus pontifices were appointed as a sign of imperial favor. Here it is essentially an honor in addition to the titles of Caesar and consul that were given to Geta by his father. Such largely ceremonial titles only served to deepen the rift between Geta and his brother who had a real stake in the imperial administration. The coin may have been produced for distribution as largesse or a military donative at the Roman New Year festival, during which Geta took up the office of consul. The reverse is a remarkable mythological type depicting the god Bacchus, his wife Ariadne, his pet panther and their various drinking buddies. It is a somewhat unexpected type for Roman coinage, which often tends to focus on ideological attributes of the emperor or his specific deeds and construction projects. The Bacchic type may be somewhat more allegorical. Along with Hercules, Bacchus was a patron deity of Septimius Severus due to his connections with the East. According to mythology, Bacchus had traveled as far as India, conquering various peoples along the way with the assistance of his panther-a tradition that fit very well with Severus' ambitions and successes in waging war against the Parthian Empire in AD 195 and 197. Indeed, Severus made no secret of his appreciation for Bacchus when he commissioned the erection of a colossal temple dedicated to Hercules and Bacchus on the Quirinal Hill of Rome. Unfortunately, little remains of the temple today except for a corner of the pediment. Its ruins were demolished by Pope Pius V (1566-1572) in order to make room for new papal building projects. Although Bacchus and company on the aureus almost certainly allude to victories in the east-a popular point for repetition in the Severan propaganda program-the representation of the god with his larger family may perhaps also play into the imperial familial theme that was also a common thread in Severan numismatic propaganda. The projection of a happy family-especially when it was not-was very important to signal a future smooth transition of power from Septimius Severus to his sons without the fear that civil war might return, although the developing hatred between Geta and Caracalla made the potential for civil war very real. Perhaps in the same way that the portraits of Severus, Julia Domna and Geta and Caracalla were presented together in ancient painting and on coins as a sign of stability, perhaps we are intended here to recognize Severus in Bacchus, Domna in Ariadne and their sons in Sileus and the satyr at their feet in the center of the composition while the surrounding flute players provide the soundtrack for their tranquil domestic happiness.
Aureus 207, AV 7.28 g. P SEPTIMIVS – GETA CAES Bare-headed, draped, and cuirassed bust l. Rev. PONTIF – COS Bacchus and Ariadne seated l.; herm behind, panther at feet of Bacchus; behind, Silenos, satyr, double-flute player, and two maenads. C –. BMC p. 243, *. RIC 33. Biaggi 1260 (this coin). Calicó 2897 (this coin).
Of the highest rarity, the finest of only five specimens known. A very elegant portrait of
great beauty, the work of a very talented engraver, struck in high relief on a full flan.
A very interesting and incredibly detailed reverse composition.
Virtually as struck and almost Fdc
Ex NAC sale 8, 1995, 880. From the Leo Biaggi de Blasys collection (privately purchased from Cahn in August 1954) This coin is illustrated in The Roman Aurei by X. E. Calicó. P. Septimius Geta was the second son born to Septimius Severus and Julia Domna on 7 March 189. He was only four years old when his father defeated his rivals for power and assumed the imperial purple at the end of the bloody Year of the Five Emperors (AD 193). At first Severus ruled alone as sole Augustus, but the many administrative and military needs of the Empire caused him to elevate Caracalla, Geta's older brother to the rank of Augustus in AD 198, although he was only fifteen. At the same time, Geta, who was only one year younger than Caracalla, was given the lesser title of Caesar. Geta shared two consulships with Caracalla (in AD 205 and 208), but grew increasingly jealous that his brother was given a position of real power while he had only a minor role in ruling the Empire. This jealousy evolved into a deep hatred and resentment between the brothers that was only mollified by the frequent intervention of their mother. This inimical relationship became so bad that in AD 209 Septimius Severus finally elevated Geta to the position of Augustus, thereby making him equal to Caracalla. Afterwards the three Augusti made war on the Caledonians in Britannia, but the campaign was brought to an early conclusion when Severus fell ill and died at Eboracum (York) on 4 February AD 211. Upon the death of their father, Geta and Caracalla succeeded him as joint emperors, but their years of bitterness and hatred made it impossible for them to share power. They did not even last an entire year as co-rulers of the Roman Empire. On 26 December AD 211, Caracalla arranged a meeting with his brother, ostensibly to make peace with him, but instead had him murdered. Struck down by sword blows, Geta fell and died in his mother's arms. This spectacular and rare aureus of Geta was struck around AD 205 to celebrate his assumption of his first consulship alongside his brother and his role in the office of pontifex (priest). Although in Republican times members of the college of pontifices were normally elected, after Augustus pontifices were appointed as a sign of imperial favor. Here it is essentially an honor in addition to the titles of Caesar and consul that were given to Geta by his father. Such largely ceremonial titles only served to deepen the rift between Geta and his brother who had a real stake in the imperial administration. The coin may have been produced for distribution as largesse or a military donative at the Roman New Year festival, during which Geta took up the office of consul. The reverse is a remarkable mythological type depicting the god Bacchus, his wife Ariadne, his pet panther and their various drinking buddies. It is a somewhat unexpected type for Roman coinage, which often tends to focus on ideological attributes of the emperor or his specific deeds and construction projects. The Bacchic type may be somewhat more allegorical. Along with Hercules, Bacchus was a patron deity of Septimius Severus due to his connections with the East. According to mythology, Bacchus had traveled as far as India, conquering various peoples along the way with the assistance of his panther-a tradition that fit very well with Severus' ambitions and successes in waging war against the Parthian Empire in AD 195 and 197. Indeed, Severus made no secret of his appreciation for Bacchus when he commissioned the erection of a colossal temple dedicated to Hercules and Bacchus on the Quirinal Hill of Rome. Unfortunately, little remains of the temple today except for a corner of the pediment. Its ruins were demolished by Pope Pius V (1566-1572) in order to make room for new papal building projects. Although Bacchus and company on the aureus almost certainly allude to victories in the east-a popular point for repetition in the Severan propaganda program-the representation of the god with his larger family may perhaps also play into the imperial familial theme that was also a common thread in Severan numismatic propaganda. The projection of a happy family-especially when it was not-was very important to signal a future smooth transition of power from Septimius Severus to his sons without the fear that civil war might return, although the developing hatred between Geta and Caracalla made the potential for civil war very real. Perhaps in the same way that the portraits of Severus, Julia Domna and Geta and Caracalla were presented together in ancient painting and on coins as a sign of stability, perhaps we are intended here to recognize Severus in Bacchus, Domna in Ariadne and their sons in Sileus and the satyr at their feet in the center of the composition while the surrounding flute players provide the soundtrack for their tranquil domestic happiness.