Orbiana. Augusta, AD 225-227. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.31 g, 6h). Rome mint. Special marriage emission of Severus Alexander, AD 225.

Triton XXIV
Lot: 1130. Estimated: $ 3 000

Roman Imperial, Coin-in-Hand Video, Silver

Sold For $ 2 250. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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Orbiana. Augusta, AD 225-227. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.31 g, 6h). Rome mint. Special marriage emission of Severus Alexander, AD 225. SALL BARBIA ORBIANA AVG, draped bust right, wearing stephane / CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia seated left, holding patera and double cornucopia. RIC IV 319 (Alexander); BMCRE 290 (Alexander); RSC 1. Lightly toned. Superb EF. Well struck on a broad round flan, imbuing a medallic quality. Portrait of fine style. Surely among the finest surviving examples.

Ex Nomos 14 (17 May 2017), lot 403; Lanz 62 (26 November 1992), lot 773.

Sallustia Orbiana was the daughter of Lucius Seius Herennius Sallustius, an influential Roman senator. In AD 225, when she was about 16, she married the young emperor Severus Alexander, who was about the same age. Their marriage gave every appearance of being tranquil for two years; however, her position theoretically equaled that of the emperor’s mother, Julia Mamaea, the true power behind the throne. Mamaea could not countenance this. In AD 227, Sallustius was abruptly charged with trying to foment a rebellion with the Praeotrian guards, arrested and executed. The marriage of Alexander and Orbiana was annulled, and she was stripped of her titles and exiled to Libya. Her final fate is unknown. Such were the risks of challenging a jealous mother-in-law.

The final winners of all Triton XXIV lots will be determined during the live online sale that will be held on 19-20 January 2021. This lot is in Session Four, which begins 20 January 2021 at 2 PM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 22.50% for all others.

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