Libius Severus (Severus III), 461-465. Solidus (Gold, 21 mm, 4.33 g, 6 h), Ravenna. D N LIBIVS SEV-ERVS P F AVG Laurel-and-rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Libius Severus to right. Rev. VICTORI-A AVGGG / R - V / COMOB Libius Severus standing facing, holding long cross in his right hand and Victory on globe in his left and placing his right foot on human-headed serpent below. Depeyrot 24/2. RIC 2718. Very rare. Lustrous and sharp, a magnificent example of this important issue. Slightly clipped, otherwise, virtually as struck.


Libius Severus was a Roman senator who was appointed to Augustus on 19 November 461 as a puppet ruler of the magister militum Ricimer. Said to have been a pious Christian, he was devoid of any political power and not recognized by the eastern emperor Leo I and the magistri militum in Gaul and Dalmatia, Aegidius and Marcellinus. Rather surprisingly, Libius Severus apparently died of natural causes in 465 and was replaced in 467, after an interregnum of 18 months, when Leo I sent Anthemius as his successor to Rome.