Page 20 - January1960

18 NATIONAL BUTTON BULLETIN January, 1960

No. 24 "L/Septimvs/Severvs/Pertinax/Avg/l IIIT" Here is the man's full name,
Lucius Septimus Severus, with Pertinax added in tribute fo his virfuous predeces-
sor. After the assassination of Pertinax in 193, three different military com-
manders had bhemselves declared emperor. They fottght Lhe matter out in pitch-
ed battle and Serverus put his two rivals to death to become sole "heir" to Per-
tinax'throne.
The last letters of this inscription are a bit puzzling at flrst. Actually the
first "I" is the capital letter to abbreviate Imperator. The rest is the Roman num-
eral four; for some reason it is always wriblen "IIII" and never "fV" on Rornan
coins. The meaning is: in the year of his fourth great victory. That was in 194.
No. 25 Same design as the above, but with a smooth edge instead of the
realistic nicks.
No. 26 Same design as 24 and 25. This button is constructed Iike No. 20 with
a separate pattern-piece over a button body of wood.
No. 2? "L/Sept/Sevet/rt/Avgllmp III" Here is an inscription with every word
abbreviated, if "rt" can be so described. Actually those are the lasf two letters
of the abbreviation "Pert" for Pertinax; the head blocks out the rest. Severus'ttrird
victory, "Imp III," was in the same year as his fourth, 194.
CARACALLA, ruled 122-217. He was the son (by birth, nof adoption) of
Severus and according to his faiher's wishes, shared the succession with his bro-
t'her Geta. His career was marked by cruelty, corruption and wanton extrava-
gance. After six years of misrule, he was killed by his own troops at age twent'y-
nine.
No. 28 "Antoninvs/Pivs/Avglcerm" This inscription is confusing because of
the earlier emperor Antoninus Pius. one look at the face, however, will show
that this is noi he. How Caracalla came to call hirnself that is quite simple-