Septimius Severus, 193-211 A.D.

AE 30, 13.92g. magistrate: Statilius Barbarus.   Laureate head of Septimius to right.  Rev. The river god Hebrus reclining to left with left arm on an overturned amphora; the three graces standing behind. Schönert-Geiss,  Die Münzprägung von  Augusta-Traiana and Traianopolis  27(dies).  Imhoof-Blumer, Nymphen und Chariten, p.188, 502 and pl. XII, 4(Naples museum).  Hairline flan crack at 3:00 obv.   Lovely enameled green patina and very rare.  Schönert-Geiss only lists two examples. 

Provenance/Pedigree:
Ex: CNG, Auction  88, 2011, lot 786.

AE 29.5, 16.38g. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Septimius to right. Rev. Tetrastyle temple containing stautue of nike standing on a cippus. Recueil 11. BMC 3.

Provenance/Pedigrees: 

Ex: CNG mail bid sale XIV, Lancaster, PA, March 20, 1991, lot 370

AE 37.5mm, 23.83g.  Facing busts of Septimius and Julia Domna; counterstamp with head of Caracalla below.  Rev. Zeus Panamaros holding scepter and riding to right.  BMC 55.  SNG von Aulock 2668. Hoegego 84 for counterstamp. Brown patina.

Provenance/Pedigree:

Ex: Münzen Auktion Essen, 1994, lot 317.

Panamara was a dependecy of Stratonikeia and contained an important temple to Zeus.   Labienus and the Parthians in 40/39  B.C. unsuccesfully attempted to capture both Stratonikeia and Panamara.    They were foiled at Panamara by an intervention of Zeus.  (See: Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, 1976.).  This manifestation of Zeus is depicted on the reverse of the coin. 

A dedicatory inscription probabably for a sculptural group was found at Panamara and relates the details of Zeus' aid during the siege.  The Parthians fist attempted a surprise attack at night but Zeus illuminated the sky with lightining to alert the Panamarian defenders.   During a subsequesnt attack, Zeus enveloped the attackers in fog and a severe storm which caused great confusion within their ranks but allowed the defenders to be hidden in the fog with a resulstant slaughter of the attackers.  (See: Georgia Petridou, "Crossing Physical and Cultural Borders in the Battlefield: Amorphous Epiphanies and Divine Bilingualism"  pp. 155ff. in Borders, Terminologies, Idiologies, and Performances, Annette Weissenrieder(ed), 2016.

AE 26, 10.36g. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Septimius to right. Rev. Draped bust of Hygeia to right holding serpent; BMC 7. SNG Levante_. SNG Paris_ a few light cleaning marks. Dark bluish-green patina.

Provenance/Pedigrees: 

Ex: Leu Numismatik, Zurich, Auction 2, May 11, 2018, lot 520

AR Tetradrachm, 13.48g.  26mm.   Laodicea Ad Mare. c.205-207 A.D. Laureate and cuirassed bust with aegis of Septimius to right.  Rev. Eagle standing and facing with head to right; star below.  Prieur 1119(dies)=Triton XXVII, 494.   This is of the finest style and part of Prieur's "Presentation Group" from this mint.  This is a gem of immaculate quality with toning and underlying luster.

Provenance/Pedigree:
Ex: Frank Sternberg, Zurich, Auction XXVI, 1992, lot 360 and featured on an enlarged color plate.