Septimius Severus. AD 193-211. AR Denarius (16mm, 3.23 g, 1h). Rome mint. Struck AD 197. Laureate head right / Hercules, standing left and resting on club, holding bow with lion’s skin draped over arm. RIC IV 97; RSC 212. EF. Typical compact flan.
Hercules, along with Liber (Bacchus) was one of the special deities of Leptis Magna, the birthplace of Severus. Additionally, it was Hercules who was the patron deity and inspiration of Severus in his defeat of Clodius Albinus in 197.
