Antoninianus of Otacilia Severa

Description Obverse: Bust of Otacilia Severa (wife of Philip the Arab), draped, diademed, right; beaded border. Reverse: Hippopotamus, right; in exergue, IIII (control mark); beaded border. The coin honors Rome’s putative 1000th birthday, which occurred during the reign of Philip and was marked by elaborate ludi saeculares (sacred games).

Provenance Münzen und Medaillen, Basel [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1972, by purchase.

Inscriptions [Inscription, Latin; obverse] OTACIL(ia) SEVERA AVG(usta) [Translation] Otacilia Severa Augusta [Inscription, Latin; reverse] SAECVLARES AVGG (Augustorum) [Translation] The Saecular Games of the Augusti

Credit Museum purchase, 1972