Lucius Septimius Severus Pertinax
Denarius of the Roman Imperial Period 201 AD
Material: Silver
Diameter: 19mm
Weight: 3.32g
Mint: Rom
Reference: RIC IV Septimius Severus 176
Provenance: Diana Numismatica Rome

Obverse:
You can see the right-facing bust of Septimius Severus with a laurel wreath. The inscription reads: SEVERVS PIVS AVG for Severus Pius Augustus.

Reverse:
Shown are two captive prisoners, defeated and hunched back to back, seated left and right at the central tropaeum (victory trophy). The inscription reads: PART MAX P M TR P VIIII for Parthicus Maximus Pontifex Maximus Tribunitia Potestas for the ninth time.

Comments:
The reverse of this coin type shows a victory trophy with two Parthian prisoners, recognizable by their pointed caps. The embossings are in the historical context of the emperor’s Parthian campaigns. After his victory over Pescenius Niger, Septimius Severus remained in the east and led 195 and 197/198 AD successful war against the Parthians. The first campaign was not directed against the Parthians themselves, but only against some petty kings allied with them. During the course of the campaign, the dominions of Adiabene and Osrhoene, which had previously been under Roman influence, finally came under Roman control.

After defeating Clodius Albinus in 197 AD raised three new legions for a second Parthian war with the Parthica I, II and III. This time the Roman offensive was directed against the actual Parthian Empire, which was evidently weakened by internal turmoil. Thus, no organized resistance was encountered when advancing downstream in Mesopotamia. The Parthian capital Ctesiphon was probably built in late 197 or early 198 AD stormed and looted. The Arsacid Parthian king Vologaeses V had previously retreated to the Iranian highlands to gather the nobility. Before a counterattack could come, the Romans had already withdrawn upstream again. According to Cassius Dio, 100,000 prisoners are said to have been taken along. These successes in the East were later immortalized on the Arch of Septimius Severus and numerous coins.

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