Otacilia Severa: the first Empress to appear solo on an Antioch tetradrachm

[DonnaML]

I haven't seen these for sale very often. So when one came up at a reasonable price in very decent condition (despite the surface issues) in the Facebook ancient coins sales group, I bought it immediately to add to my (very small) collection of Antioch tets. I didn't even realize until I looked at my copy of McAlee that Otacilia Severa was the first empress or other royal woman to appear solo on an Antioch tetradrachm, and the first empress to be depicted alone on an Antioch Provincial coin in any metal. (Julia Mamaea had appeared solo on bronze coins of her son Severus Alexander.)

Marcia Otacilia Severa (wife of Philip I), Billon Tetradrachm, AD 247 [Regnal Year 3], Syria, Seleucis and Pieria, Antioch. Obv. Draped bust right, seen from front, wearing stephane, crescent behind shoulders, ΜΑΡ ΩΤΑΚΙΛ ϹƐΟΥΗΡΑΝ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Eagle standing right, head right, left wing behind left leg, wreath in beak, ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ƐΞΟΥϹΙΑϹ ΥΠΑ ΤΟ Γ [Year 3] around; below eagle, ΑΝΤΙΟΧΙΑ; in exergue, S C. 27 mm., 11.62 g.  Prieur 383 [Michel and Karin Prieur, Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms (London, 2000)]; McAlee 1096 (ill. p. 363) [Group (b), Type 2 Eagle] [Richard McAlee, The Coins of Roman Antioch (2007)] (“Rare”); RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Online VIII, unassigned ID 28993 (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/type/28993). Purchased from Kinzer Coins, Mt. Vernon, MO, May 2023; ex Aegean Numismatics, Mentor, OH (with Aegean coin ticket).*

 

*See McAlee p. 361, explaining that Otacilia Severa “was the first woman to be depicted on the tetradrachms of Antioch unaccompanied by a male ruler.” (The only empress to be depicted alone after Otacilia was Herennia Etruscilla, so there were only two in total.) 

McAlee also points out (id.) that “all of Otacilia’s Antiochene coins are scarce or rare, and were struck in much smaller numbers than the corresponding coins of Philip I and II.” For example, ACSearch lists 22 examples of this particular type of Otacilia Severa tetradrachm (McAlee 1096, with the obverse legend reading ΩΤΑΚΙΛ instead of ΩΤΑΚΙΛI, and the eagle standing right with its left wing behind its leg), and a total of 543 examples of all types of Otacilia Severa tetradrachms from Antioch. Which may not seem like a small number, until one compares it to her husband: ACSearch lists more than 2,200 examples of all types of Philip I’s tetradrachms from Antioch.

She fits in nicely with my Antioch tetradrachms of her husband Philip I and her son Philip II:

My handful of other Antioch tetradrachms with eagle reverses, along with one from Tyre:

Septimius Severus (Tyre):

Caracalla:

Gordian III:

Trajan Decius:

Does anyone have an Antioch tet of Herennia Etruscilla? I'd love to see one. But please post any other Antioch tets with eagle reverses that you'd like to show.

Edited May 28, 2023 by DonnaML

[Kali]

She comes up more frequently, on ebay, than you would expect.

I own 2 very scarce/rare varieties.

 

And from my records, I paid less than $124, total, for both.

Otacilia Severa (244 - 249 A.D.)

SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch
AR tetradrachm
O: MAP ΩTAKIΛ CEOYHPAN CEB Draped bust of Otacilia Severa to left, wearing stephane, set on crescent.
R: ΔHMAPX EΞOYCIAC YΠA TO Γ / ANTIOXIA / S C Eagle with spread wings, standing facing, with it's head and tail to right, holding wreath in beak.
10.51g
25mm
McAlee 1093. Prieur 381

 

Otacilia Severa (244 - 249 A.D.)

SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria
AR Tetradrachm
O: AP ΩTAKIΛ CЄOYHPAN CЄB, draped bust right, wearing stephane, set on crescent.
R: ΔHMAPX ЄΞOYCIAC YΠATO Γ, ANTIOXIA/S C in two lines in exergue, eagle standing facing, head and tail right, with wings displayed, holding wreath in beak.
11.76g
26mm
McAlee-1091 (Rare); Prieur-385 (10 spec.)

A scarce variety.

 

[Al Kowsky]

8 minutes ago, DonnaML said:

I haven't seen these for sale very often, so when one came up at a reasonable price in very decent condition (despite the surface issues) in the Facebook ancient coins sales group, I bought it immediately to add to my (very small) collection of Antioch tets. I didn't even realize until I looked at my copy of McAlee that Otacilia Severa was the first empress or other royal woman to appear solo on an Antioch tetradrachm, and the first empress to be depicted on an Antioch Provincial coin in any metal. (Julia Mamaea had appeared solo on bronze coins of her son Severus Alexander.)

Marcia Otacilia Severa (wife of Philip I), Billon Tetradrachm, AD 247 [Regnal Year 3], Syria, Seleucis and Pieria, Antioch. Obv. Draped bust right, seen from front, wearing stephane, crescent behind shoulders, ΜΑΡ ΩΤΑΚΙΛ ϹƐΟΥΗΡΑΝ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Eagle standing right, head right, left wing behind left leg, wreath in beak, ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ƐΞΟΥϹΙΑϹ ΥΠΑ ΤΟ Γ [Year 3] around; below eagle, ΑΝΤΙΟΧΙΑ; in exergue, S C. 27 mm., 11.62 g.  Prieur 383 [Michel and Karin Prieur, Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms (London, 2000)]; McAlee 1096 (ill. p. 363) [Group (b), Type 2 Eagle] [Richard McAlee, The Coins of Roman Antioch (2007)] (“Rare”); RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Online VIII, unassigned ID 28993 (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/type/28993). Purchased from Kinzer Coins, Mt. Vernon, MO, May 2023; ex Aegean Numismatics, Mentor, OH (with Aegean coin ticket).*

 

*See McAlee p. 361, explaining that Otacilia Severa “was the first woman to be depicted on the tetradrachms of Antioch unaccompanied by a male ruler.” (The only empress to be depicted alone after Otacilia was Herennia Etruscilla, so there were only two in total.) 

McAlee also points out (id.) that “all of Otacilia’s Antiochene coins are scarce or rare, and were struck in much smaller numbers than the corresponding coins of Philip I and II.” For example, ACSearch lists 22 examples of this particular type of Otacilia Severa tetradrachm (McAlee 1096, with the obverse legend reading ΩΤΑΚΙΛ instead of ΩΤΑΚΙΛI, and the eagle standing right with its left wing behind its leg), and a total of 543 examples of all types of Otacilia Severa tetradrachms from Antioch. Which may not seem like a small number, until one compares it to her husband: ACSearch lists more than 2,200 examples of all types of Philip I’s tetradrachms from Antioch.

She fits in nicely with my Antioch tetradrachms of her husband Philip I and her son Philip II:

My handful of other Antioch tetradrachms with eagle reverses, along with one from Tyre:

Septimius Severus (Tyre):

Caracalla:

Gordian III:

Trajan Decius:

Does anyone have an Antioch tet of Herennia Etruscilla? I'd love to see one. But please post any other Antioch tets with eagle reverses that you'd like to show.

Nice score on your high-grade Otacilia Tet 🤩. Nice looking examples rarely show up for sale & when they do they're usually pricey. Pictured below is my example of an Otacilia Tet. 

Pictured below is a family group photo of Philip I, Otacilia, & Philip II. All three are plate coins 😊.

Pictured below is my example of a Herennia Etruscilla Tet. All her Tets are considered scarce to very rare 😉.

 

 

[JeandAcre]

Congratulations, Donna, and everyone else, on some amazing examples. 

This is a remarkable subseries generally ...which I never went near when I was actively collecting Roman.  Could anyone help out with the persistence of the issue so far into the 3rd century?  Regionally, it could've been in some kind of competition with Parthian issues.  What is known about whether or how these remaining regional issues, in anything like this module, went on to influence Sasanian and Islamic dirhams?

 

[Qcumbor]

Nice acquisition !

As you may know, I like those syrian tets, for their size and good workmanship. Here are my two Otacilia Severa tets

Epouse de l'empereur Philippe I "l'arabe" - Tetradrachme de billon de l'atelier d'Antioche, 244
MAP ΩTAKIA CEOYHPAN CEB, Buste diadémé et drapé à droite sur un croissant, vu par l'avant
ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ΕΞΟΥCΙΑC, Aigle de face ailes déployées, tête à gauche, tenant une couronne dans son bec, posé sur une branche. A l'exergue SC 
26.5 mm - 12.20 gr
Ref : Prieur #324, McAlee #1086
Provenance : I-Numis VSO 20/03/2009 - Münzen und Medaillen 28/05/2008

Epouse de l'empereur Philippe I "l'arabe" - Tetradrachme de billon de l'atelier d'Antioche, 245
MAP ΩTAKIΛ CЄOYHPAN CЄB, Buste diadémé et drapé à gauche sur un croissant, vu par l'avant
ΔHMAPX ЄΞOYCIAC ΥΠΑ ΤΟ Α, Aigle allant à gauche, ailes déployées, tête à gauche, tenant une couronne dans son bec, posé sur une branche. A l'exergue SC 
26 mm - 11,89 gr - 6h
Ref : Prieur #343, McAlee #1089, RPC online VIII ID 29073
Provenance : Leu webauction #20/2157

Q

Edited May 28, 2023 by Qcumbor

[ambr0zie]

Great coins @DonnaML and everybody.

I like Antioch tetradrachms because they are artistic, impressive in hand ... and not expensive. 

Here is my Prieur 383

Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch. Otacilia Severa AD 244-249.
Billon-Tetradrachm. 27 mm, 12,62 g, AD 247.
ΜΑΡ ΩΤΑΚΙΛ ϹƐΟΥΗΡΑΝ ϹƐΒ, diademed and draped bust of Otacilia Severa, r., crescent at shoulders / ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ƐΞΟΥϹΙΑϹ ΥΠΑ ΤΟ Γ, ΑΝΤΙΟΧΙΑ, S C, eagle standing r., spreading wings, holding wreath in beak. RPC VIII, — (unassigned; ID 28993); Prieur 383; McAlee 1095–6, 1100A and 1101
 

Despite the corrosion, I find the details and the artistry very pleasant and did not hesitate too much when bidding and winning it for 37 euros including fees. 

My lower grade Philip I 

My favorite Antioch tetradrachm - Decius 

[Molag Bal]

Congrats! 

I just got my first tetradrachm earlier this month. I wanted one without the roughness I often see, and was lucky to win this for what I felt was a good price for the condition. I haven't decided yet if I will free it from its plastic prison. Photo and description both from CNG:

SELEUCIS and PIERIA, Antioch. Trajan Decius. AD 249-251. BI Tetradrachm (28mm, 12.62 g, 11h). 1st officina. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front; • below / Eagle standing right on palm frond, with wings displayed, holding wreath in beak; S C in exergue. McAlee 1119a; RPC IX 1626; Prieur 537. In NGC encapsulation 5746814-092, graded Ch AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5.

 

[Roman Collector]

Lovely coin, @DonnaML, and lovely coins, everybody! I have only one Otacilia tetradrachm from Antioch.

Otacilia Severa, 244-249 CE.
Roman provincial AR tetradrachm, 12.23 g, 25.1 mm, 7 h.
Syria, Seleucis & Pieria, Antioch ad Orontem, 245 CE.
Obv: ΜΑΡ ΟΤΑΚΙΛ CΕΟΥΗΡΑ CΕΒ, diademed and draped bust, right, hair with horizontal waves and with a long plait carried up the back of the head (Sear type a; Temeryazev and Makarenko type 1).
Rev: ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ΕΞΟΥCΙΑC ΥΠΑΤΟ Α, eagle on palm, left, tail right, SC in exergue.
Refs: McAlee 1088; Prieur 341; BMC 541.

While I don't have a tetradrachm of Herennia Etruscilla in answer to your request, @DonnaML, I do have a couple of imperial issues for her struck at the branch mint in Antioch. They differ in reverse design from the Rome mint issues and some even have dots as officina marks.

Herennia Etruscilla, 249-253 CE.
Roman AR Antoninianus; 4.10 g, 23.3 mm, 5 h.
Antioch, 250-251 CE.
Obv: HER ETRVSCILLA AVG, diademed and draped bust right on crescent, hair smooth and with a long plait carried up the back of the head (Sear type b; Temeryazev and Makarenko type 2).
Rev: AEQVITAS AVGG, Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae.
Refs: RIC 64; RSC 3d; RCV 9491; CRE 540; Hunter p. xcix.

Herennia Etruscilla, 249-253 CE.
Roman AR Antoninianus; 4.18 g, 23.2 mm, 12 h.
Antioch, 250-251 CE.
Obv: HER ETRVSCILLA AVG, diademed and draped bust right on crescent, hair with horizontal waves and with a long plait carried up the back of the head (Sear type a; Temeryazev and Makarenko type 1); •• below bust.
Rev: VBERITAS AVG, Uberitas standing left, holding marsupium (?) and cornucopiae.
Refs: RIC 68b; RCV 9499.

Edited May 29, 2023 by Roman Collector

[DonnaML]

2 hours ago, ambr0zie said:

Here is my Prieur 383

Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch. Otacilia Severa AD 244-249.
Billon-Tetradrachm. 27 mm, 12,62 g, AD 247.
ΜΑΡ ΩΤΑΚΙΛ ϹƐΟΥΗΡΑΝ ϹƐΒ, diademed and draped bust of Otacilia Severa, r., crescent at shoulders / ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ƐΞΟΥϹΙΑϹ ΥΠΑ ΤΟ Γ, ΑΝΤΙΟΧΙΑ, S C, eagle standing r., spreading wings, holding wreath in beak. RPC VIII, — (unassigned; ID 28993); Prieur 383; McAlee 1095–6, 1100A and 1101

@ambr0zie, fyi, your Otacilia Severa, like mine, is McAlee 1096 rather than 1095: the obverse legend reads ΩΤΑΚΙΛ, whereas 1095 reads ΩΤΑΚΙΛI. The two varieties are given separate numbers only in McAlee; they are grouped together in Prieur and in RPC VIII.

[DonnaML]

3 hours ago, Roman Collector said:

Lovely coin, @DonnaML, and lovely coins, everybody! I have only one Otacilia tetradrachm from Antioch.

Otacilia Severa, 244-249 CE.
Roman provincial AR tetradrachm, 12.23 g, 25.1 mm, 7 h.
Syria, Seleucis & Pieria, Antioch ad Orontem, 245 CE.
Obv: ΜΑΡ ΟΤΑΚΙΛ CΕΟΥΗΡΑ CΕΒ, diademed and draped bust, right, hair with horizontal waves and with a long plait carried up the back of the head (Sear type a; Temeryazev and Makarenko type 1).
Rev: ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ΕΞΟΥCΙΑC ΥΠΑΤΟ Α, eagle on palm, left, tail right, SC in exergue.
Refs: McAlee 1088; Prieur 341; BMC 541.

While I don't have a tetradrachm in answer to your request, @DonnaML, I do have a couple of imperial issues for her struck at the branch mint in Antioch. They differ in reverse design from the Rome mint issues and some even have dots as officina marks.

Herennia Etruscilla, 249-253 CE.
Roman AR Antoninianus; 4.10 g, 23.3 mm, 5 h.
Antioch, 250-251 CE.
Obv: HER ETRVSCILLA AVG, diademed and draped bust right on crescent, hair smooth and with a long plait carried up the back of the head (Sear type b; Temeryazev and Makarenko type 2).
Rev: AEQVITAS AVGG, Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae.
Refs: RIC 64; RSC 3d; RCV 9491; CRE 540; Hunter p. xcix.

Herennia Etruscilla, 249-253 CE.
Roman AR Antoninianus; 4.18 g, 23.2 mm, 12 h.
Antioch, 250-251 CE.
Obv: HER ETRVSCILLA AVG, diademed and draped bust right on crescent, hair with horizontal waves and with a long plait carried up the back of the head (Sear type a; Temeryazev and Makarenko type 1); •• below bust.
Rev: VBERITAS AVG, Uberitas standing left, holding marsupium (?) and cornucopiae.
Refs: RIC 68b; RCV 9499.

Very interesting. I have never understood why both Imperial and Provincial coins -- conforming to different denomination systems, and with legends in different languages -- were minted in the same city (Antioch) at the same time, for a number of the same emperors and empresses, before the Provincial coinage was finally abandoned under Diocletian. Were they intended for different purposes?

Edited May 29, 2023 by DonnaML