Caracalla augustus, 198 – 217
Aureus 202, AV 20 mm, 7.08 g. ANTON P AVG PON – TR P V COS Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. ADVENTVS / AVGVSTOR Galley to l. with five oarsmen; at prow, vexillum. At stern, two standards and seated figures of Septimius Severus, Geta and Caracalla. C –, cf. * (denarius). BMC p. 332, note †.RIC 58. Calicó 2660. Extremely rare, only very few specimens known. A gentle portrait of fine style, almost invisible marks on reverse field, otherwise good extremely fine

Ex NAC sale 40, 2007, 765.

Graded Ch AU Strike 5/5 Surface 3/5, brushed, NCG certification number 6827744-010

This aureus celebrates the return of the Severan family to Rome after nearly a five-year absence in the East, from the summer of 197 until the spring or summer of 202. The initial purpose for the journey was to wage war against the Parthians, during which they killed all of the men who had remained in the capital Ctesiphon, gathered a great amount of booty, and took as slaves perhaps 100,000 women and children. The royal family then remained in the East until early 202, and began that year with Septimius Severus and Caracalla jointly assuming the consulate in Antioch. It was the first time they had shared the honour, and it was also the first time in more than forty years that two emperors had been consuls. Not long after this ceremony the royal family began its arduous journey back to Italy, proceeding by land up through Asia Minor to Bithynia, then crossing the Propontis into Thrace, and presumably tracking the Danube until they descended upon Italy. The fact that this journey was overland, yet a vessel is depicted, underscores the symbolic nature of this adventus type. The arrival was celebrated with games, spectacles and donatives to the people and to the praetorian guards, who Dio Cassius tells us each received ten aurei – perhaps including examples of this freshly minted type.