2016-09-21 Wed

A circa 203 to 210 A.D. silver denarius celebrating the Triumphal Arch of Roman emperor Septimius Severus will be offered at an auction by Numismatica Ars Classica on 6th October. The reverse depicts the arch, four columns surmounted by a chariot of six horses, with horsemen on either side. These kinds of coins are every collector’s delight because of their beautiful designs and the fact that the buildings, temples, and monuments depicted on them no longer exist.

The arch is seen even today at the north entrance of the Roman Forum but the statues on the roof have been removed probably in late antiquity or in the intervening centuries when the Forum was filled with debris covering the tall structure. They were found in 1803 when Carlo Fea began excavations. The arch was later discovered after continued efforts by the Napoleonic administration.

The arch was built in 203 AD and commemorated the Parthian victories of Emperor Septimius Severus and his two sons, Caracalla and Geta, in two campaigns against the Parthians, in 194 and 195 and from 197 to 199. The arch was featured again on denarii of 206 by Severus to celebrate his 15th anniversary.

This extremely rare Good Very Fine graded coin is struck on a very large complete planchet, with old cabinet toning. The same coin was sold in 2000 for 2,400 Swiss francs and then in 2007 for €2,000. Currently, the coin’s estimate value is 2,500 Swiss francs.