Very Rare Parthian Reverse Type
Lot 557: Caracalla. A.D. 198-217. AR denarius. Rome, A.D. 217. 
AUCTION: Triskeles - Auction 19 (Auction 323)
- Sold Winning Bid: $115
- 5 Bid(s)
Caracalla. A.D. 198-217. AR denarius (18 mm, 2.96 g, 1 h). Rome, A.D. 217. ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM, laureate head of Caracalla right / P M TR P XX COS IIII P P around, VIC PART in exergue, Victory seated right on cuirass, inscribing VO/XX in two lines on shield; before her, two captives seated at base of trophy. RIC 297e; BMC 198, note; RSC 650. A very rare type. Light porosity. Nearly very fine.
From the Big Sky Collection.
This very rare denarius of Caracalla struck during his final year of rule references his hoped-for success during his Parthian campaign, as noted by the exergual legend, VIC PART, and the design showing Victory and a trophy beneath which captives are seated. In 213, Caracalla left Rome for the provinces, travelling first to the north in order to settle the border regions along the Agri Decumates of Rhaetia and Germania Inferior, where the Germanic tribes of Alamanni and Goths were causing unrest. He next ventured south and east, into the Asian and Syrian provinces before heading to Egypt where he allowed his troops several days of pillage and massacre in Alexandria after the citizens had insulted him by making fun of his claim to have killed his brother, Geta, in self-defense. During this time Caracalla had also begun identifying closely with Alexander the Great, mimicking the supposed postures and ideals of the man himself. He even created his own phalanx of 16,000 men despite the fact that the formation had been made tactically obsolete by Rome’s much superior legions. His campaign in Parthia was cut short when he was assassinated by one of his soldiers, negating the message of this rare coin.
- Offered By: Barry P. Murphy
- Lot #: 557
- Listing #: 201219
- Closed: Friday, March 17, 2017 7:05:20 PM CT
- Estimate: $150
- Collection: The Big Sky Collection