CARIA, Stratonicaea. Septimius Severus, with Geta as Caesar. AD 193-211. Æ (36mm, 28.95 g, 6h). Damnatio Memoriae. Philon, prytanis. VF.

Keystone 17 – The W. Toliver Besson Collection
Lot: 118. Estimated: $ 500

Roman Provincial, Bronze

Sold For $ 1 600. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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CARIA, Stratonicaea. Septimius Severus, with Geta as Caesar. AD 193-211. Æ (36mm, 28.95 g, 6h). Damnatio Memoriae. Philon, prytanis. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Septimius, seen from behind, vis-à-vis [laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Geta]; c/ms: helmeted head of Roma within circular incuse, and ΘEOY within rectangular incuse / Zeus Panamaros, draped, on horseback right, holding transverse scepter in left hand; at feet right, lighted altar. RPC V.2 Online 73901; SNG von Aulock 8162. For c/ms: Howgego 188; 536. Red-brown surfaces, light pororsity. VF.

From the W. Toliver Besson Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 129 (13 May 2025), lot 400.

Upon Septimius’ passing in AD 211, his sons Caracalla and Geta assumed joint rule of the empire. Their joint rule was a failure; the Imperial Palace was separated into two sections and they threatened to divide the empire between them. During the Festival of Saturnalia, December 211, Caracalla tried unsuccessfully to have his brother assassinated. But a week later, at an arranged meeting in their mother’s quarters, Geta was murdered by Caracalla’s centurions.

Caracalla immediately ordered a damnatio memoriae of his brother’s image: statues were removed, paintings were destroyed or, like the Severan Tondo erased, and coins were recalled to have his image carved out. This damnatio was especially apparent on the provincial coinage of Pergamum in Mysia and Stratonicaea in Caria. It is estimated that approximately 95% of the dual bust types at Stratonicea have had the portrait of Geta erased, many of them having a countermark of Roma or Caracalla stamped over his bust.

Closing Date and Time: 22 July 2026 at 10:39:00 ET.



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