Severus II
Imperator Caesar Flavius Valerius Severus Augustus
Flavius Valerius Severus was a general and drinking companion of Galerius, appointed Caesar of the West in 305 and elevated to Augustus on the death of Constantius Chlorus in 306. He was immediately tasked with suppressing the revolt of Maxentius in Rome, but his troops, many of them loyal to Maximian, deserted to Maxentius when Maximian came out of retirement to support his son. Severus was captured at Ravenna, initially kept as a hostage, and then executed when Constantine marched on Rome.
Severus II is a historically minor but numismatically interesting figure: his failure demonstrated that Tetrarchic appointments could not override personal military loyalties. His coins as Augustus are scarce enough to be genuine finds in specialist collections.
Key Events
Coinage
The coinage of Severus II as Augustus is scarce, reflecting his brief and unsuccessful reign. His issues as Caesar are more plentiful. The FIDES MILITVM, GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, and IOVI CONSERVATORI types follow the Tetrarchic template. The gap between his propaganda of military loyalty and the reality of his troops' desertion is one of history's sharper ironies.
Denominations
Notable Types
- FIDES MILITVM (Faith of the Armies), ironic given his troops' desertion
- GENIO POPVLI ROMANI types (as Caesar)
- IOVI CONSERVATORI types
Common Reverses
Active Mints
Related Resources
Further Reading
- Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume VI,
- Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume IV,