ROMAN EMPIRE

Septimius Severus was a North African-born emperor who ended the political chaos in Rome following the death of Commodus (192). To gain legitimacy, he had himself posthumously adopted by Marcus Aurelius (195). This coin commemorates his greatest victory, achieved against the Parthians (197-199), where he captured Ctesiphon and established a new Roman province in Mesopotamia, earning the title Parthicus Maximus. On the obverse, he is depicted alongside his son, the future Caracalla, whom Severus made co-emperor in 198, coinciding with the celebration of his triumph over the Parthians. Notably, the names of the emperors do not appear explicitly on this coin, which is a unique feature.