Mesopotamia, Nesibi. Otacilia Severa, wife of Philip I. Æ 26mm (10.89 gm).

Diademed and draped bust right, resting on crescent / Tyche seated within

tetrastyle temple; above her head, sign of Aries (ram) right; below, river god.

BMC Mesopotamia pg. 123, 27. VF, deep green patina.

Otacilia Severa

Otacilia is a very interesting empress to follow through the coins that are graced by her pretty face. She and Philip were in power from 244-249 AD. In that short five years, at least two dozen different busts of Otacilia are known to collectors. Each one is a little different and it's fascinating to see how her face evolves through that series of coins. They start out showing her as a pre-teen and they end in middle age. Her face goes from thin and long to chubby and round. Her nose is a tiny little thing on some coins and on others it's large and long. It makes you want to sit down with the coin designers and find out why they crammed about 30 years of aging in to a reign of 5 years.

Otacilia and husband Philip the Arab were probably the first christian couple to rule Rome. There is no solid historical record that says this, but during their reign, the persecution of christians decreased markedly from the reign of Gordian III.

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