Septimius Severus enters Rome (eventually)

Septimius Severus, sestertius, ADVENTVI AVG FELICISSIMO AVG SC (RIC 719c)

Here is a sestertius of Septimius Severus with IMP VIII at the end of the obverse legend (dated by RIC to AD 196). With the ADVENTVI AVG FELICISSIMO SC reverse (RIC 719c) I had always assumed it marked the return to Rome after the Eastern campaign, as indicated by the "Liberalities" table on page 72 of RIC (see below). This was also the explanation of Clive Foss in Roman Historical Coins (1990). Curtis Clay, however, put me right.

Liberalities from RIC IV, page 72

In his unpublished 1972 thesis he established that the traditional chronology of 195-7 was wrong: Byzantium actually fell in summer 195 (reflected as IMP VI or VII in imperial titulature). The previous chronology was based on the assumption that the siege of Byzantium lasted three full years, that is until summer 196, because Dio Cassius says it lasted “an entire three-year period”. Clay suggested what Dio meant was actually “two full years and into the third”. Byzantium fell in summer 195 not 196.

The break with Albinus and elevation of Caracalla to the Caesarship occurred in November 195, by which time Severus was in Viminacium; he then marched directly to Gaul, as noted by the historian Herodian, and defeated Clodius Albinus on 19 February 196 not 197. The adjustment in chronology allows the IMP VIII title to be associated with this victory in Gaul.

Septimius Severus, sestertius, Victory over Clodius Albinus (RIC 725)

Around late summer 196 Severus returned to Rome, resulting in this coin type. The “felicissimus”, or joy, in the reverse legend being rather ironic. The entry of Severus to Rome resulted in the death of ten senators as punishment for the Senate’s support of Albinus.

Septimius Severus, sestertius, PROFECTIO AVG SC (RIC 728)

Late spring-early summer 197 he made Caracalla Pontifex and Imperator Destinatus, gave games (MVNIFICENTIA AVG) and his second largesse (LIBERALITAS AVG II) to the people of Rome, and departed on his second Parthian campaign (PROFECTIO AVG).

Septimius Severus, denarius, PROFECTIO AVG (RIC 91)