Plautilla (AD 202–205) Roman Empire AR Denarius NGC VF

Plautilla — A Severan Empress Caught in Court Rivalry

This silver denarius represents Plautilla, wife of Caracalla and daughter of the powerful praetorian prefect Plautianus.

Coin Details

• Ruler: Plautilla
• Reign and issue period: Augusta AD 202–205
• Empire/region: Roman Empire
• Denomination: Denarius
• Composition: AR (silver)
• NGC grade: VF — Very Fine
• Sheldon-scale equivalent: 20–25
• Quantity supplied: One encapsulated coin

The Sheldon-scale number is an equivalent associated with the stated ancient-coin grade; it is not a separate numerical grade assigned to the coin.

Plautilla — Marriage, Exile and the Politics of Succession

Plautilla married Caracalla in AD 202 in a union arranged by Septimius Severus and her father Plautianus. The marriage supported an alliance at court, and official coinage presented the young Augusta through themes of harmony, fertility and dynastic hope.

Caracalla reportedly detested the marriage. After Plautianus was executed in AD 205, Plautilla was exiled to Lipari and was later killed following Caracalla’s accession as sole emperor.

What the Coin Tells Us

The denarius was a principal Roman silver denomination and a widely circulating medium for imperial portraiture. Plautilla’s youthful portrait and carefully selected reverse types projected a stable marriage that political events soon destroyed.

Because her period as Augusta was brief, her coinage provides a concentrated record of the alliance between two powerful Severan households. It also illustrates the gap between official dynastic imagery and private conflict.

What You Will Receive

You will receive one silver denarius of Plautilla in an NGC Ancients holder, graded VF (Very Fine). A specific mint, issue year, reverse design, inscription, weight or diameter is not promised unless expressly stated above.

Stock-photo notice: The photographs are representative of the product offering. The coin supplied may differ from the pictured example in portrait style, reverse design, inscriptions, centering, toning, surface appearance and other individual characteristics while remaining within the stated coin type and any expressly stated grade.