SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS 193AD Philippopolis Thrace Eagle Ancient Roman Coin i57526

Item: i57526   Authentic Ancient  Coin of: Septimius Severus – Roman Emperor: 193-211 A.D. – Bronze 22mm (7.61 grams) of Philippopolis in Thrace   AV◦K◦Λ◦C◦ CЄVHPOC Π, Laureate head right.

ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΠΟΛΕΙΤΩΝ,
 
Eagle standing facing on thunderbolt with open wings, head right, with wreath in 
beak.

You are bidding on the exact item pictured, 
provided with a Certificate of Authenticity and Lifetime Guarantee of 
Authenticity.

Jupiter is usually thought to have originated as a sky god. His identifying 
implement is the
thunderbolt
, and his primary sacred animal is 
the eagle, which held precedence over other birds in the taking of
auspices
and became one of the most

common 
symbols of the
Roman army
(see
Aquila
). The two emblems were often combined to 
represent the god in the form of an eagle holding in its claws a thunderbolt, 
frequently seen on Greek and Roman coins. As the sky-god, he was a divine 
witness to oaths, the sacred trust on which justice and good government depend. 
Many of his functions were focused on the
Capitoline
(“Capitol Hill”), where the
citadel
was located. He was the chief deity of 
the
early Capitoline Triad
with
Mars
and
Quirinus
. In the
later Capitoline Triad
, he was the central 
guardian of the state with
Juno
and
Minerva
. His sacred tree was the oak. The 
Romans regarded Jupiter as the
equivalent
of the Greek

Zeus, and in
Latin literature
and
Roman art
, the myths and iconography of Zeus 
are adapted under the name Iuppiter.

An aquila, or eagle, was a prominent symbol used in

ancient Rome, especially as the
standard
of a
Roman legion
. A
legionary
known as an
aquilifer
, or eagle-bearer, carried this 
standard. Each legion carried one eagle. The eagle was extremely important to 
the Roman military, beyond merely being a symbol of a legion. A lost standard 
was considered an extremely grave occurrence, and the Roman military often went 
to great lengths to both protect a standard and to recover it if lost; for 
example, see the aftermath of the
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
, where the 
Romans spent decades attempting to recover the lost standards of three legions.

---

Plovdiv (Bulgarian:
Пловдив) is
the second-largest city
in
Bulgaria
with a population of 380,683. 
Plovdiv’s history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement 
dating to roughly 4000 BC. It is the administrative center of
Plovdiv Province
in southern Bulgaria and three 
municipalities (Plovdiv,
Maritsa
and
Rodopi
) and Bulgaria’s
Yuzhen tsentralen
planning region (NUTS II), as 
well as the largest and most important city in
Northern Thrace
and the wider international 
historical region of
Thrace
. The city is an important economic, 
transport, cultural and educational center.

Known in the West for most of its history by the
Greek
name Philippopolis, it was 
originally a Thracian
settlement before becoming a major
Roman
city. In the Middle Ages, it retained its 
strategic regional importance, changing hands between the
Byzantine
and
Bulgarian Empires
. It came under
Ottoman
rule in the 14th century. In 1878, 
Plovdiv was made the capital of the autonomous Ottoman region of
Eastern Rumelia
; in 1885, it became part of 
Bulgaria with the
unification
of that region and the
Principality of Bulgaria
.

Plovdiv is situated in the southern part of the Plovdiv Plain on the two 
banks of the
Maritsa River
. The city has historically 
developed on seven
syenite
hills, some of which are 250 m high. 
Because of these seven hills, Plovdiv is often referred to in Bulgaria as “The 
City of the Seven Hills”.

There are many remains preserved from
Antiquity
such as the
Ancient amphitheatre
, Roman odeon,
Roman Stadium
, the archaeological complex
Eirene and others.

Plovdiv was given various names throughout its long history. It was 
originally a Thracian
settlement by the name of Eumolpias.
Philip II of Macedon
conquered the area in 
342-341 BC and renamed the city Philippoupolis (Greek:
Φιλιππούπολις), of which the later Thracian 
name for the city, Pulpu-deva, is a reconstructed translation. After the 
Romans took control of the area, the city was named
Latin
:
Trimontium, meaning the Three Hills. During the Middle Ages the city 
was known as Philippoupolis in
Byzantine Greek
and Paldin (Пълдин) or
Plavdiv (Плъвдив) in
Old Bulgarian
, variations of the town’s earlier
Thracian
name. The city was known as 
Philippopolis in Western Europe well into the early 20th century. The city was 
known as Filibe in
Turkish
during the
Ottoman Empire
.

Plovdiv has settlement traces dating from the Neolithic, roughly 4000 BC. 
Archaeologists have discovered fine pottery and other objects of everyday life 
from as early as the Neolithic Age, showing that in the end of the 4^th 
millennium B.C. there already was an established settlement there. According to
Ammianus Marcellinus
, Plovdiv’s written 
post-Bronze Age history lists it as a
Thracian
fortified settlement named Eumolpias. 
In 4th century BC the city was a centre of a trade fair (called panegyreis). 
In 342 BC, it was conquered by
Philip II of Macedon
, the father of
Alexander the Great
, who renamed it “Φιλιππόπολις”,
Philippopolis or “the city of Philip” in his own honour. Later, it was 
reconquered by the
Thracians
who called it Pulpudeva (a 
reconstructed translation of Philipopolis)

In 72 AD it was seized by the Roman general Terentius Varo Lukulus and was 
incorporated into the
Roman Empire
, where it was called Trimontium 
(City of Three Hills) and served as metropolis (capital) of the province 
of Thrace
. It gained a city status in late 1st 
century. Trimontium was an important crossroad for the Roman Empire and was 
called “The largest and most beautiful of all cities” by
Lucian
. Although it was not the capital of the 
Province of Thrace, the city was the largest and most important centre in the 
province. In those times, the
Via Militaris
(or Via Diagonalis), 
the most important military road in the
Balkans
, passed through the city.

“This [Plovdiv] is the biggest and loveliest of all cities. Its  beauty shines from faraway…”

Roman writer Lucian .

The Roman times were a period of growth and cultural excellence. The ancient 
ruins tell a story of a vibrant, growing city with numerous public buildings, 
shrines, baths, and theatres. The city had an advanced water system and
sewerage
. It was defended with a double wall. 
Many of those are still preserved and can be seen by tourists. Today only a 
small part of the ancient city has been excavated.

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Septimius Severus –

Roman Emperor: 193-211 A.D.

Augustus: 193-211 A.D. | 193-198 A.D. Sole reign; 195-198 
A.D.

Caracalla as Caesar | 198-209 A.D. with

Caracalla;

Geta as Caesar | 209-211 
A.D. with

Caracalla and
Geta

Husband of
Julia Domna
 
| Father of

Caracalla and
Geta
 
| Uncle of

Julia Soaemias and

Julia Mamaea | Great-uncle of

Elagabalus and

Severus Alexander | Brother-in-law of

Julia Maesa | Father-in-law of

Plautilla |

Lucius Septimius Severus (or rarely Severus I) (April 11, 

145/146-February 4, 211) was a

Roman
 

general, and

Roman 

Emperor
from April 14, 193 to 211. He was born in what is now the

Berber
part of 

Rome’s historic

Africa Province

.

Septimius Severus was born and raised at

Leptis 

Magna
(modern Berber

, southeast of

Carthage
, 

modern Tunisia
). 

Severus came from a wealthy, distinguished family of

equestrian

rank. Severus was of

Italian

Roman ancestry on his mother’s side and of

Punic

or

Libyan

-Punic 

ancestry on his father’s. Little is known of his father,

Publius Septimius Geta

, who held no major political status but had two 

cousins who served as consuls under emperor

Antoninus Pius

. His mother, Fulvia Pia’s family moved from

Italy
to

North 

Africa
and was of the

Fulvius
gens, 

an ancient and politically influential clan, which was originally of

plebeian

status. His siblings were a younger

Publius Septimius Geta

and Septimia Octavilla. Severus’s maternal cousin was

Praetorian Guard

and consul

Gaius Fulvius Plautianus

.

In 172, Severus was made a

Senator
 

by the then emperor

Marcus Aurelius

. In 187 he married secondly

Julia 

Domna
. In 190 Severus became

consul
, and in 

the following year received from the emperor

Commodus
 

(successor to Marcus Aurelius) the command of the

legions
 

in Pannonia
.

On the murder of

Pertinax
by 

the troops in 193, they proclaimed Severus Emperor at

Carnuntum
, 

whereupon he hurried to Italy. The former emperor,

Didius Julianus

, was condemned to death by the Senate and killed, and 

Severus took possession of Rome without opposition.

The legions of

Syria

, however, had proclaimed

Pescennius Niger

emperor. At the same time, Severus felt it was reasonable 

to offer

Clodius Albinus

, the powerful governor of Britannia who had probably 

supported Didius against him, the rank of Caesar, which implied some claim to 

succession. With his rearguard safe, he moved to the East and crushed Niger’s 

forces at the

Battle of Issus

. The following year was devoted to suppressing Mesopotamia 

and other Parthian vassals who had backed Niger. When afterwards Severus 

declared openly his son

Caracalla
 

as successor, Albinus was hailed emperor by his troops and moved to Gallia. 

Severus, after a short stay in Rome, moved northwards to meet him. On

February 

19
, 197
, 

in the

Battle of Lugdunum

, with an army of 100,000 men, mostly composed of

Illyrian
,

Moesian
and

Dacian
legions, 

Severus defeated and killed Clodius Albinus, securing his full control over the 

Empire.

Emperor

Severus was at heart a

soldier
, and 

sought glory through military exploits. In 197 he waged a brief and successful 

war against the

Parthian Empire

in retaliation for the support given to Pescennius Niger. 

The Parthian capital

Ctesiphon
 

was sacked by the legions, and the northern half of

Mesopotamia

was restored to Rome.

His relations with the

Roman 

Senate
were never good. He was unpopular with them from the outset, having 

seized power with the help of the military, and he returned the sentiment. 

Severus ordered the execution of dozens of Senators on charges of corruption and

conspiracy

against him, replacing them with his own favorites.

He also disbanded the

Praetorian Guard

and replaced it with one of his own, made up of 50,000 

loyal soldiers mainly camped at

Albanum

, near Rome (also probably to grant the emperor a kind of centralized 

reserve). During his reign the number of legions was also increased from 25/30 

to 33. He also increased the number of auxiliary corps (numerii), many of 

these troops coming from the Eastern borders. Additionally the annual wage for a 

soldier was raised from 300 to 500

denarii
.

Although his actions turned Rome into a military

dictatorship

, he was popular with the citizens of Rome, having stamped out 

the rampant corruption of Commodus’s reign. When he returned from his victory 

over the Parthians, he erected the

Arch of Septimius Severus

in Rome.

According to Cassius Dio, 

however, after 197 Severus fell heavily under the influence of his Praetorian 

Prefect,

Gaius Fulvius Plautianus

, who came to have almost total control of most 

branches of the imperial administration. Plautianus’s daughter,

Fulvia Plautilla

, was married to Severus’s son, Caracalla. Plautianus’s 

excessive power came to an end in 205, when he was denounced by the Emperor’s 

dying brother and killed. 

The two following praefecti, including the jurist

Aemilius Papinianus

, received however even larger powers.

Campaigns in Caledonia (Scotland)

Starting from 208 Severus undertook a number of military actions in

Roman 

Britain
, reconstructing

Hadrian’s Wall

and campaigning in

Scotland
.

He reached the area of the

Moray 

Firth
in his last campaign in Caledonia, as was called Scotland by 
the Romans.. 

In 210 obtained a peace with the

Picts
that lasted 

practically until the final withdrawal of the Roman legions from Britain, 

before falling severely ill in

Eboracum
(York).

Death

He is famously said to have given the advice to his sons: “Be harmonious, 

enrich the soldiers, and scorn all other men” before he died at Eboracum on

February 4
,

211. Upon his death in 211, Severus was

deified

by the Senate and succeeded by his sons,

Caracalla
 

and

Geta

, who were advised by his wife

Julia 

Domna
. The stability Severus provided the Empire was soon gone under their reign.

Accomplishments and Record

Though his military expenditure was costly to the empire, Severus was the 

strong, able ruler that Rome needed at the time. He began a tradition of 

effective emperors elevated solely by the military. His policy of an expanded 

and better-rewarded army was criticized by his contemporary

Dio Cassius

and

Herodianus

: in particular, they pointed out the increasing burden (in the 

form of taxes and services) the civilian population had to bear to maintain the 

new army.

Severus was also distinguished for his buildings. Apart from the triumphal 

arch in the Roman Forum carrying his full name, he also built the

Septizodium

in Rome and enriched greatly his native city of

Leptis 

Magna
(including another triumphal arch on the occasion of his visit of 

203).

Severus and Christianity

Christians were

persecuted

during the reign of Septimus Severus. Severus allowed the 

enforcement of policies already long-established, which meant that Roman 

authorities did not intentionally seek out Christians, but when people were 

accused of being Christians they could either curse

Jesus
and make an 

offering to

Roman gods

, or be executed. Furthermore, wishing to strengthen the peace by 

encouraging religious harmony through

syncretism
, 

Severus tried to limit the spread of the two quarrelsome groups who refused to 

yield to syncretism by outlawing

conversion

to Christianity or

Judaism
. 

Individual officials availed themselves of the laws to proceed with rigor 

against the Christians. Naturally the emperor, with his strict conception of 

law, did not hinder such partial persecution, which took place in

Egypt
and the

Thebaid
, as 

well as in

Africa proconsularis

and the East. Christian

martyrs
were 

numerous in Alexandria

(cf.

Clement of Alexandria

, Stromata, ii. 20;

Eusebius

, Church History, V., xxvi., VI., i.). No less severe were 

the persecutions in Africa, which seem to have begun in 197 or 198 (cf.

Tertullian’s

Ad martyres), and included the Christians known in the

Roman martyrology

as the martyrs of

Madaura
. 

Probably in 202 or 203

Felicitas

and

Perpetua

suffered for their faith. Persecution again raged for a short time 

under the proconsul

Scapula
in 

211, especially in

Numidia
and

Mauritania
. 

Later accounts of a Gallic

persecution, especially at

Lyon, are 

legendary. In general it may thus be said that the position of the Christians 

under Septimius Severus was the same as under the

Antonines
; 

but the law of this Emperor at least shows clearly that the

rescript
of

Trajan
had failed to execute its purpose.

---