Septimius Severus (193-211), Aureus, Rome, AD 193-194; AV (g 7,04; mm 19; h 6); IMP CAE L SEP SE - V PERT AVG, laureate head r., Rv. VIRT AVG TR - P COS, Virtus standing l., holding Victory and spear. RIC 24; C 751; Calicò 2570.
Rare. A bold portrait struck on a very broad flan and a lovely light reddish tone; insignificant nick on the emperor’s cheek, otherwise good extremely fine.

Ex Santamaria, 24 February 1958, lot 1085.

The general closest to Rome, who answered her plea in 193, Severus quickly organized his power base by placating Clodius Albinus with an empty title, taking Rome and moving against Pescennius Niger in the East. Back in Rome he eliminated Clodius Albinus by having him declared a public enemy and then defeating his armies by Lugdunum in one of the largest military encounters in Roman history. He also rid himself of the Praetorian Guard, replacing them with his own men. Relations with the Senate were not amicable during his reign, they had hoped for Pescennius Niger. His family life was even more troubled. His sons Geta and Caracalla hated each other so much that mother and father had problems keeping them from killing each other. In his last campaign in Britain, it is reported that Caracalla, at one point, almost killed his own father with a stab to the back. He had grown tired of waiting for the feeble Severus to die.