Obv: Laureated and curiassed bust r

Rev: Eagle wings spread, head l with wreath in beak, the eagle stands upon a club upon which strides a murex shell.

Metal: Silver 15.28 Grams, 28 mm diameter. Condition: Good VF, light porosity scarce
adjustment marks on bottom of obverse

Septimius Severus was from a thoroughly Romanized and previleged family from North Africa. He was ambitious with aspirations to become emperor. He was a senator and from 185 to 187 Governor of Gallia Lugdunemsis. He was married to Julia Domna the daughter of the high priest of the Emesan sun god Heliogabal. In 190 he was elected to the consulship in Rome and the next year he was made govenor of Pannonia Superior with three legions under his command. After the murder of Pertinax, Septimius Severus was hailed emperor by his soldiers. He accepted the title, however in Rome the praetorian guard had sold the emperorship to Didius Julianus via an auction. Severus gained the support of the Rhine and Danubian legions (total of 16 legions) however there were contenders for the throne (Clodius Albinus in Britain, Pescennius Niger in Syria and Didius Julianus in Rome). Septimius Severus marched on Rome where Julianus only had the support of the praetorian guard. The gaurd turned against Julianus and he was captured and executed.

The Senate despised Severus and he could not trust the praetorian guard. He called an assembly of the praetorian guard and to their surprize his soldiers rushed in and deposed and replaced them. With Rome stabilizied, Severus made a peace with Clodius Albinus and made him Caesar. Severus in the summer of 193 marched to the East where Pescennius Niger had 9 legions under his command. Niger was routed in a series of engagements and was executed in 194. Severus took revenge on the cities that had supported Niger.

In December 195, Severus raised his son Caracalla to the rank of Caesar and had the senate declare Clodius Albinus a public enemy. Albinus marched on Gaul. Severus met the challege and defeated Albinus near Lugdunum on 19 February 197. Severus then marched on Persia with great success capturing the capital "Ctesiphon" on 28 January 198. He stripped the city of all its portable wealth and killed all the men and enlaved 100,000 woman and children.

Septimus Severus died, on 4 February 211, an old man in his mid-60's of natural causes. To his two sons (Caracalla and Geta) he gave the following advice "Agree with each other, give money to the soldiers, and scorn all other men."