Ave!

Septimius Severus, Denarius, Mounted for Battle Reverse, Historically Important Issue!

AR; 17mm/3.0gm   Laodicea Mint in Turkey, c. 197 AD

Con/ Common soft strike on the reverse, otherwise, about Very Fine.

Obv/ L SEPT SEV PER AVG IMP VIIII; laureate bust right

Ref/ PROFECTIO AVG; Septimius on horseback right, holding spear.

Ref/ RIC Vol IVa, 494 (S. Severus)

Sellers Note/ Why is this coin historically important? Let's begin with the reverse legend, PROFECTIO which is Latin for Protection, right? But on Roman coins, it had a further connotation: the emperor was departing on a military campaign. Still with me?

So, what which battle/military campaign?

It was the Battle of Lugdunum, also called the Battle of Lyon, fought on 19 February 197 at Lugdunum (modern Lyon, France), between the armies of the Septimius Severus and of the Roman usurper Clodius Albinus. Severus' victory finally established him as the sole emperor of the Roman Empire. This battle is said to have been the largest, most hard-fought, and bloodiest of all clashes between Roman forces at that time.