Roma Numismatics Ltd > E-Sale 90 | Auction date: 18 November 2021 |
Lot number: 1121 | |
Lot description: Divus' Severus Alexander AR Antoninianus. Commemorative issue struck under Trajan Decius. Rome, AD 250-251. DIVO ALEXANDRO, radiate head to right / CONSECRATIO, lighted altar. RIC IV 98 (Decius) var. (bust type); RSC 598. 3.66g, 22mm, 7h. Extremely Fine. Scarce. From a private UK collection. Shortly after becoming emperor, Decius attempted to garner support by restoring the traditional Roman religion. However, by this time the old Roman pantheon was no longer in vogue. Therefore, Decius produced in 250-251 a rare series of antoniniani commemorating eleven deified emperors (somewhat surprisingly including Commodus). The list of rulers commemorated falls short of the total then residing with Jupiter on Olympus, and there is no explanation as to why the series lacks such figures as the deified Julius Caesar, Claudius, Pertinax or Caracalla. To further confuse matters, the series does include one emperor who was never deified and whose appearance thus remains an enigma - Severus Alexander (seen here). The reverses bear either an eagle or an altar, which can, however, be shown in varying ways. Estimate: 100 GBP |