Beschreibung:

A Belated Donative to Loyal Troops? Click image to view larger Description: Septimius Severus AV Aureus. Uncertain Eastern mint (Emesa or Alexandria?), AD 193. IMP CAE L SEP SEV PEPT (sic) AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / LEG VIII AVG II COS, legionary Aquila between two standards, TR P COS in exergue. RIC -; C. -; Calico -; H.-J. Kellner, Neue Fundmünzen aus Bayern, JNG 28/29, 1978/1979, 43 pl. 9, 1. 7.23g, 20mm, 12h. Fleur De Coin. Of the Highest Rarity, only the second known after a unique but worn specimen was found in Bavaria in 1974. A highly important and fascinating issue. This exceedingly rare and important aureus is one of only four recorded gold types in the extensive ‘legionary’ series that Septimius issued after his accession in June of 193. Cassius Dio records that he paid an accession donative of 250 denarii (10 aurei) per soldier, and it is therefore highly likely that the Rome mint legionary issues were intended to satisfy this immediate requirement. The silver denarii were struck in vast quantities, with Legio VIII Augusta at Strasbourg being honoured with a particularly large issue, though not quite as large as that of Legio XIIII. The eastern issues are by comparison all extremely rare, having evidently been issued on a much smaller scale, and only the legions III, VIII and XIIII are honoured. Furthermore, at least some of the coins may not have been struck until after January 194, when Septimius became consul for the second time. This represents a gap of six months or more between the Rome legionary issues, and those of the eastern mints. The explanation for both the small scale of these issues and the time differential may be that they represent a belated donative payment to loyal troops stationed in the eastern provinces. It is known that Pescennius Niger’s support in the East was not universal; Septimius evidently had forces strong enough to block Legio II Traiana Fortis from sending military aid to Niger from Egypt. It is very possible therefore that locally stationed vexillationes (detachments) of the three aforementioned legions were present in the region and remained loyal to Septimius, and that they were paid their donatives with locally struck coinage after Septimius’ defeat of Niger in May 194. This hypothesis is supported by the known findspot of the only other aureus of this type, for Bavaria is only a short distance from the Legion’s home at Strasbourg, and that coin may have easily been lost there after returning home with a member of Legio VIII. The specific mint location for this aureus remains uncertain, though Emesa or Alexandria are considered the most likely options on the basis of practical, stylistic, and metrological considerations. The type mirrors a denarius issue attributed by the British Museum to ‘Emesa’, which also curiously puts both II COS and TR P COS on the reverse.