Septimius Severus, 193-211. Denarius (Silver, 19 mm, 3.66 g, 12 h), Rome, 204-206. SEVERVS PIVS AVG Laureate head of Septimius Severus to right. Rev. LAETITIA TEMPORVM The central Spina of the Circus Maximus in Rome, shown as a left sailing galley with the turning markers at the prow and stern; the central obelisk of the Spina is ornamented with a sail to maintain the galley-like appearance; above quadrigas galloping to left; below, an ostrich, two lions, a donkey, a panther, a bear, and a bison. BMC 343. Cohen 253. RIC 274. Rare. Sharply struck and of unusually fine quality, attractively toned. Extremely fine.

Selections from an Important American Collection. Ex Lanz 156, 2 June 2013, 343 (but the references there cited refer, oddly enough, to a coin of Caracalla).
This denarius was issued to celebrate the Ludi Saeculares in 204 and shows some of the events that took place in the Circus Maximus: chariot races and animal fights: the wild animals must have been released from gates in the central spina, made up to look like a galley, which had transported them to Rome from Africa or other exotic locations.