Silver Denarius of Geta as Caesar (about 1,810 years ago)
This silver denarius features Publius Septimius Geta, the younger son of Emperor Septimius Severus, during his time as Caesar (junior emperor) before becoming full Augustus. Minted between 209-211 CE, this coin represents the brief period when Geta held the title of Caesar while his father and older brother Caracalla were the senior rulers. This SPQR Collection example offers a glimpse into the Severan dynasty's attempt to establish a stable imperial succession.
Coin Description:
Front side: The obverse shows the bare-headed bust of young Geta facing right, likely with the Latin inscription identifying him as P SEPT GETA CAES (Publius Septimius Geta Caesar) or similar titles.
Back side: Though not specified, the reverse would typically feature Roman deities, personifications of virtues, or symbols of imperial power appropriate for a junior emperor, with accompanying Latin inscriptions.
Technical Details:
Silver composition (AR)
Denarius denomination (standard silver coin of the Roman monetary system)
Weight: Approximately 3-3.5 grams
Size: Approximately 18-20mm in diameter
NGC Grade: XF (Extremely Fine) - indicating excellent preservation with minor wear
Date of minting: 209-211 CE (during Geta's time as Caesar)
Collection: SPQR Collection
Historical Significance: This denarius was struck during a tragic chapter in Roman imperial history. Geta, born in 189 CE in Rome, was elevated to the rank of Caesar (junior emperor) by his father Septimius Severus as part of a plan to establish a stable dynasty. When Severus died in 211 CE at Eboracum (modern York, England), he reportedly advised his sons to "be harmonious, enrich the soldiers, and scorn all other men." This advice went unheeded, as the brothers' intense rivalry culminated in Geta's murder in his mother Julia Domna's arms, reportedly on Caracalla's orders. Caracalla subsequently enacted a damnatio memoriae (condemnation of memory), ordering Geta's name removed from monuments and his coins recalled and melted down. This makes surviving high-quality examples like this especially rare and historically significant. The coin represents not just a monetary instrument but a brief moment when the Roman Empire might have taken a different path under joint rule, rather than the tumultuous sole reign of Caracalla that followed.
This silver denarius features Publius Septimius Geta, the younger son of Emperor Septimius Severus, during his time as Caesar (junior emperor) before becoming full Augustus. Minted between 209-211 CE, this coin represents the brief period when Geta held the title of Caesar while his father and older brother Caracalla were the senior rulers. This SPQR Collection example offers a glimpse into the Severan dynasty's attempt to establish a stable imperial succession.
Coin Description:
Front side: The obverse shows the bare-headed bust of young Geta facing right, likely with the Latin inscription identifying him as P SEPT GETA CAES (Publius Septimius Geta Caesar) or similar titles.
Back side: Though not specified, the reverse would typically feature Roman deities, personifications of virtues, or symbols of imperial power appropriate for a junior emperor, with accompanying Latin inscriptions.
Technical Details:
Silver composition (AR)
Denarius denomination (standard silver coin of the Roman monetary system)
Weight: Approximately 3-3.5 grams
Size: Approximately 18-20mm in diameter
NGC Grade: XF (Extremely Fine) - indicating excellent preservation with minor wear
Date of minting: 209-211 CE (during Geta's time as Caesar)
Collection: SPQR Collection
Historical Significance: This denarius was struck during a tragic chapter in Roman imperial history. Geta, born in 189 CE in Rome, was elevated to the rank of Caesar (junior emperor) by his father Septimius Severus as part of a plan to establish a stable dynasty. When Severus died in 211 CE at Eboracum (modern York, England), he reportedly advised his sons to "be harmonious, enrich the soldiers, and scorn all other men." This advice went unheeded, as the brothers' intense rivalry culminated in Geta's murder in his mother Julia Domna's arms, reportedly on Caracalla's orders. Caracalla subsequently enacted a damnatio memoriae (condemnation of memory), ordering Geta's name removed from monuments and his coins recalled and melted down. This makes surviving high-quality examples like this especially rare and historically significant. The coin represents not just a monetary instrument but a brief moment when the Roman Empire might have taken a different path under joint rule, rather than the tumultuous sole reign of Caracalla that followed.
This silver denarius features Publius Septimius Geta, the younger son of Emperor Septimius Severus, during his time as Caesar (junior emperor) before becoming full Augustus. Minted between 209-211 CE, this coin represents the brief period when Geta held the title of Caesar while his father and older brother Caracalla were the senior rulers. This SPQR Collection example offers a glimpse into the Severan dynasty's attempt to establish a stable imperial succession.
Coin Description:
Front side: The obverse shows the bare-headed bust of young Geta facing right, likely with the Latin inscription identifying him as P SEPT GETA CAES (Publius Septimius Geta Caesar) or similar titles.
Back side: Though not specified, the reverse would typically feature Roman deities, personifications of virtues, or symbols of imperial power appropriate for a junior emperor, with accompanying Latin inscriptions.
Technical Details:
Silver composition (AR)
Denarius denomination (standard silver coin of the Roman monetary system)
Weight: Approximately 3-3.5 grams
Size: Approximately 18-20mm in diameter
NGC Grade: XF (Extremely Fine) - indicating excellent preservation with minor wear
Date of minting: 209-211 CE (during Geta's time as Caesar)
Collection: SPQR Collection
Historical Significance: This denarius was struck during a tragic chapter in Roman imperial history. Geta, born in 189 CE in Rome, was elevated to the rank of Caesar (junior emperor) by his father Septimius Severus as part of a plan to establish a stable dynasty. When Severus died in 211 CE at Eboracum (modern York, England), he reportedly advised his sons to "be harmonious, enrich the soldiers, and scorn all other men." This advice went unheeded, as the brothers' intense rivalry culminated in Geta's murder in his mother Julia Domna's arms, reportedly on Caracalla's orders. Caracalla subsequently enacted a damnatio memoriae (condemnation of memory), ordering Geta's name removed from monuments and his coins recalled and melted down. This makes surviving high-quality examples like this especially rare and historically significant. The coin represents not just a monetary instrument but a brief moment when the Roman Empire might have taken a different path under joint rule, rather than the tumultuous sole reign of Caracalla that followed.
