Denarius of Caracalla, reign of Septimius Severus - 1966.53

Acquisition number: 1966.53

Other images

Rev.: Sol (Sun) holding a spear and a globe

Obv.: Bust of Caracalla r., laureate, draped. ANTONINVS AVGVSTVS.

Rev.: Sol standing front, head l.; naked except for cloak over left shoulder, with spear in left hand and globe in right. PONTIF(ex) TR(ibunicia) P(otestate) III.

Title: Denarius of Caracalla, reign of Septimius Severus - 1966.53

Acquisition number: 1966.53

Author or editor: Beryl Rawson

Culture or period: Roman Imperial

Date: AD 200

Material: Metal - Silver

Object type: Coins - Roman

Dimensions: 18mm (w)

Origin region or location: Italy

Origin city: Rome

Display case or on loan: 7

Keywords: Coin, denarius, Roman, Imperial, Caracalla, Septimius Severus, Sol

Sear, D.R., Roman Coins and their Values 5 vols (London, Spink, 2000-2014) 6857; Seaby, H.A., Roman Silver Coins (London, B.A. Seaby, 1967) III 78 413.

If Seaby, H.A., Roman Silver Coins (London, B.A. Seaby, 1967) 413 then also Mattingly, H.,Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, 6 vols (London, 1965) S179-83, RIC 30 (a).

Williams, J.H., ‘Septimius Severus and Sol, Carausius and Oceanus: two new Roman acquisitions at the British Museum’, The Numismatic Chronicle 159 (1999), 307-313.

1966.53

Denarius of Caracalla, reign of Septimius Severus

3.256 g. AD 200

Obv.: Bust of Caracalla r., laureate, draped. ANTONINVS AVGVSTVS.

Rev.: Sol standing front, head l.; naked except for cloak over left shoulder, with spear in left hand and globe in right. PONTIF(ex) TR(ibunicia) P(otestate) III.

Caracalla’s father, Septimius Severus, had claimed connection with the Antonine family by a kind of posthumous adoption of himself by Marcus Aurelius, to improve the legitimacy of his claim to the throne. Thus Caracalla had the official name of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. He is often styled ‘Antoninus Pius’. He received the title ‘Augustus’ in AD 198, to coincide with Septimius’ successful campaign against the Parthians. He also received the tribunician power in that year: thus ‘TR. P. III’ dates this coin to AD 200.

The Sun-god Sol became very important under the Severan dynasty. Perhaps Sol with his orb symbolises the gradually changing view of the emperor, no longer just a princeps but dominus of the world. Caracalla’s mother Julia Domna came from Emesa in Syria, where there was a temple to the Sun-god. See Grant (1968) on Sun-worship.

Sear, D.R., Roman Coins and their Values 5 vols (London, Spink, 2000-2014) 6857; Seaby, H.A., Roman Silver Coins (London, B.A. Seaby, 1967) III 78 413.

If Seaby, H.A., Roman Silver Coins (London, B.A. Seaby, 1967) 413 then also Mattingly, H.,Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, 6 vols (London, 1965) S179-83, RIC 30 (a).

Williams, J.H., ‘Septimius Severus and Sol, Carausius and Oceanus: two new Roman acquisitions at the British Museum’, The Numismatic Chronicle 159 (1999), 307-313.