Septimius Severus, Rome mint, 197 AD.,
Denarius (16-17 mm / 3,41 g), silver, axis about medal alignment ↑↑ (ca. 340°),
Obv.: [L SEPT SEV] PER[T] - AVG IMP VII[II] , laureate head of Septimius Severus right, excellent portrait style.
Rev.: [H]ECVLI - DEFENS , Hercules standing right resting on club and holding bow, lion skin on left arm.
RIC IV, I, 102, 97 (common) ; BMC 218 ; Coh. 212 ; RSC III 212 .
Compact flan as always for this issue
Same obverse die as Noble Numismatics Pty Ltd, Auction 114, lot 4335 (28.03.2017), cf. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3724134 = https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=1913&lot=4335
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 for Severus in his defeat of Clodius Albinus in 197.
Ex Künker 115, 894