Roman AE Of Severus II (306-307) NGC

Flavius Valerius Severus (died September 307), also called Severus II,^[1] was a Roman emperor from 306 to 307, and a member of the Tetrarchy. He shared control of the western half of the empire with Constantine I, but spent most of his short reign in a civil war against the usurper Maxentius, who later killed him and took over Italy.

Severus was of humble birth, born in Northern Illyria around the middle of the third century.^[2][3] A friend of emperor Galerius, he rose to become a senior officer in the Roman army,^[2] being nominated as caesar of the Western Roman Empire. According to Lactantius, Diocletian objected to Galerius's suggestion, saying in response, "What! That dancer, that habitual drunkard who turns night into day and day into night?" Galerius persisted, saying that Severus had served faithfully as paymaster and purveyor of the army.^[4] Diocletian acquiesced and Severus succeeded to the post of caesar on 1 May 305, thus becoming the junior colleague of Constantius I, augustus of the western half of empire.^[2]