Ancient Roman Bronze Coin of Emperor Severus II (Tetrarch Under Diocletian)

Own a Rare Bronze from the Emperor the Tetrarchy Chose — Who Was Dead Within a Year

A real AE3 bronze of Severus II — the western Augustus appointed by Galerius to stabilize the Tetrarchy after Diocletian's abdication, who marched against Maxentius's rebellion, was abandoned by troops loyal to the old Maximian, captured at Ravenna, and executed in AD 307 in one of the Tetrarchy's most complete individual failures. NGC certified.

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⚔️ Appointed western Augustus to stabilize the Tetrarchy — deserted by his own troops within months when they chose loyalty to the old Maximian over the new system
🏛 Reverse depicts Genius, Victory, or Hercules — stability and divine favor proclaimed by a reign that lasted less than a year before betrayal and execution ended it
🤲 Struck AD 306–307 — relatively scarce coinage from one of Rome's briefest western Augustus reigns. NGC certified.

Own This Piece of History

Why This Coin Matters

The Tetrarchic succession plan of AD 305 seemed carefully designed. Diocletian and Maximian abdicated simultaneously. Their respective Caesars — Galerius in the east and Constantius I in the west — became senior Augusti. New Caesars were appointed to fill their former positions: Maximinus Daia in the east under Galerius, and Severus II in the west under Constantius. It was the orderly succession the Tetrarchy had been built to produce.

It collapsed within a year. When Constantius I died at York in AD 306, his troops proclaimed his son Constantine emperor — the first deviation from the plan. Then Maxentius, son of the retired Maximian, declared himself emperor in Rome — the second. Severus II, as the legitimate western Augustus, marched against Maxentius to restore Tetrarchic order. What he found was that the troops he was leading — many of them veterans who had served under Maximian for years — had no interest in fighting for an abstract system against the son of a commander they had personally followed and respected. They deserted to Maxentius.

Severus retreated to Ravenna, which offered strong defensive position. Maxentius — or more precisely, the returned Maximian who had come out of retirement to support his son — negotiated Severus's surrender with promises of safety. Those promises were not kept. Severus was taken prisoner, transported to a villa near Rome, and executed in AD 307, either forced to open his own veins or strangled. The Tetrarchy's chosen western Augustus had lasted approximately one year. Because his reign was so brief, his coinage is genuinely scarce — each surviving example is a minor numismatic rarity from one of Rome's most violently compressed imperial careers. Certified by NGC.

Perfect for:

• Collectors of Tetrarchy collapse era, short-reign western emperors, and Roman AE3 bronze coinage
• History lovers drawn to Severus II, the Tetrarchic succession crisis, and the rise of Maxentius and Constantine
• Scarce short-reign coinage, Genius and Hercules reverse types, and NGC certified late Roman bronze enthusiasts
• Anyone seeking a genuinely rare bronze from one of the Tetrarchy's most complete individual failures

What You'll Receive

• One authentic AE3 bronze of Severus II
• Denomination: AE3 (small late Roman bronze)
• NGC certified for authenticity and preservation
• Struck AD 306–307 — similar to examples shown (each coin is unique)

Buy with Confidence

• Guaranteed authentic ancient coin
• Carefully sourced and verified
• 30-day return policy
• Secure shipping from the U.S.

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