Silver Denarius of Septimius Severus RIC 166

Silver Denarius (19mm 3.01g) Struck AD 200-201

Obv: SEVERVS AVG PART MAX Laureate bust right

Rev: PROVID AVGG Providentia standing left . holding wand over globe and a scepter

RIC IV i 166

ex. Beast Coins

The Front (Obverse): The Emperor's Power Trip

• What's on it: A portrait of Septimius Severus facing right, wearing a laurel wreath (the ultimate symbol of victory).
• The Latin Inscription: SEVERVS AVG PART MAX
• The Interpretation: This is short for Severus Augustus Parthicus Maximus.
  • Severus Augustus: Reassures everyone he is the rightful Emperor (Augustus).
  • Part Max: This is the big brag! It means "Greatest Conqueror of Parthia." The Parthian Empire (located in modern-day Iran/Iraq) was Rome's massive, long-time rival. Severus had recently smashed their capital city, Ctesiphon. Putting this on the coin told the entire Roman world: "Hey look, I just beat our biggest enemy. You're safe, and I'm a military genius."

The Back (Reverse): Divine Foresight

• What's on it: A goddess standing and looking left. She's holding a small wand (a radium) over a globe resting at her feet, and gripping a long royal scepter in her other hand.
• The Latin Inscription: PROVID AVGG
• The Interpretation: This stands for Providentia Augustorum, which translates to "The Foresight (or Providence) of the Emperors."
  • Who is she? The figure is Providentia, the divine personification of wisdom, foresight, and ability to plan for the future. By pointing a wand at the globe, she is literally saying the Emperor has the divine wisdom to govern and protect the entire world.
  • Why does it say AVGG with two G's? In Roman inscriptions, doubling the last letter means plural. So AVGG means Emperors (plural). At this exact time, Septimius Severus had just elevated his young son, Caracalla, to be co-emperor. This coin was a message of political stability: "The empire is safe, the gods are guiding us, and we have an orderly plan for who rules next."