Antoninus Pius Bronze As, RIC III Antoninus Pius 569A

Monetary Context and Denominational Function

Within the Augustan monetary system that endured well into the high Roman Empire, the copper as functioned as the primary workhorse denomination for daily urban commerce and market transactions. Tariffed at one-quarter of an orichalcum sestertius and one-sixteenth of a silver denarius, the as was struck on relatively pure red copper planchets, distinguishing it visually and metallurgically from the golden-hued brass used for the dupondius and sestertius. During the opening years of Antoninus Pius's reign, the Roman state maintained the stability of this multi-tiered currency system without radical debasement or abrupt metrological reform. The issue of RIC III Antoninus Pius 569A in AD 139 provided small change necessary for modest payments, rations, and retail exchange throughout the empire. Unlike prestige issues such as commemorative medallions or large sestertii, the as was routinely handled across all socio-economic strata, making its political imagery a direct conduit of imperial messaging to ordinary soldiers, craftsmen, and provincial subjects.

Mint and Metallurgical Production

All official specimens conforming to RIC III Antoninus Pius 569A were produced exclusively at the single central imperial mint in Rome. Base-metal coinage in this era was cast as circular copper flans before being hot-struck between engraved iron or bronze dies. The physical production was overseen by the monetary magistrates under the ultimate direction of the imperial treasury, though traditional senatorial oversight was formalised by the prominent letters S C on the reverse. Although ancient weights for the as fluctuated considerably due to al marco casting techniques, standard uncirculated flans for this issue clustered between 10.0 and 11.5 grams with typical diameters spanning 26 to 28 millimeters. The metallurgical fabric is characterized by high copper content, often exceeding 95 percent, with minimal intentional alloying components. Die axes for this Rome issue show a strong tendency toward regular vertical alignment, commonly 6 o'clock or 12 o'clock, reflecting the disciplined mechanical methods employed by the urban mint workforce.

Obverse Design and Portraiture

The obverse of RIC III Antoninus Pius 569A presents a striking and dignified portrait of the emperor in the early prime of his rule. The bust is depicted bare-necked with the laureate head turned to the right. Engravers rendered Antoninus Pius with characteristic realism combined with classical composure: deep-set eyes beneath straight brows, a pronounced aquiline nose, neatly arranged curls across the crown, and a carefully trimmed, full beard that continued the philhellenic aesthetic popularized by Hadrian. The laurel wreath rests securely around the head, tied at the nape of the neck with two ribbon ends falling gracefully down toward the back of the neck. This portraiture broke subtly from the dramatic, introspective styling of late Hadrianic sculpture, presenting instead an image of moral rectitude, pietas, and accessible civic paternalism that would remain virtually unchanged across more than two decades of mint output.

Reverse Iconography and Symbolism

The reverse field is occupied by a full-length, draped figure of Pax standing toward the left. In her right hand, extended downward, she grasps an olive branch, the universal Mediterranean symbol of peaceful reconciliation, while her left arm cradles a heavy cornucopiae laden with agricultural bounty. Her drapery falls in elegant classical folds across her body, demonstrating the skill of the Rome engravers in maintaining sculptural clarity on medium-sized coin blanks. In the fields flanking her lower body, the prominent letters S and C appear to the left and right respectively. The juxtaposition of the olive branch and the cornucopiae articulated the central tenet of Antonine state ideology: that enduring peace guaranteed by the emperor was the direct wellspring of agricultural fertility, economic security, and public abundance. In the tense domestic atmosphere immediately following the deification crisis of Hadrian, the Pax type served to reassure the senatorial elite and the broader Roman populace that the new administration prioritized internal concord and stability.

Inscriptions and Imperial Titulature

The legends on RIC III Antoninus Pius 569A provide essential epigraphic evidence for dating the strike precisely to AD 139. The obverse legend reads ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P, running clockwise from the lower left rim. This concise string of titles documents the emperor's official nomen Antoninus, the imperial epithet Augustus, the honorary agnomen Pius granted upon his accession, and the title Pater Patriae (Father of his Country). Pius had initially declined this latter honour upon his accession in mid-138 but consented to accept it in early 139, making its presence a definitive terminus post quem. The reverse legend carries the inscription TR POT COS II PAX S C, with TR POT COS II PAX reading continuously around the upper perimeter and S C situated in the lower lateral fields. The formula indicates the emperor held tribunician power (tribunicia potestas) and was serving his second consulship, which commenced on 1 January 139. The addition of the explicit name PAX within the titular string clarifies the personification, while S C abbreviates Senatus Consulto, ratifying senatorial endorsement of the bronze issue.

Typology and Chronological Classification

Paul Strack and the editors of the Roman Imperial Coinage established the precise sequencing of Antoninus Pius's initial coinage based on the progressive accumulation of consular and tribunician iterations. Within the typology of the year AD 139, RIC III 569A sits within the second major bronze emission of the reign. The earliest base-metal strikings of 138 bore COS without numeral, while the earliest 139 coins designated him COS II before the adoption of Pater Patriae. The appearance of P P on the obverse in combination with COS II on the reverse isolates this type to a discrete window during the early to middle months of AD 139, prior to the renewal of his tribunician power and subsequent administrative adjustments. RIC III 569A is catalogued as a distinct type due to its combination of the laureate bust facing right, the specific legend division incorporating PAX alongside the consular dating, and the downward position of the olive branch, differentiating it from parallel variants where Pax holds the branch upright or where the emperor is portrayed radiate on dupondii.

Circulation and Monetary Finds

As an essential bronze denomination, RIC III Antoninus Pius 569A circulated vigorously throughout the Roman world, particularly in Italy and the militarized provinces of Britannia, Germania Superior, Germania Inferior, and along the Danubian limes. Archaeological excavation reports and site-find databases demonstrate that Antonine copper asses endured prolonged active circulation, frequently remaining in commercial use for three to four decades or more until the severe currency disruptions of the late third century. Consequently, surviving specimens often exhibit extensive surface wear, patination changes, and smoothed relief details, especially on the high points of the laureate portrait and Pax's drapery. The presence of this specific type in single-coin site losses at military vici, rural villa complexes, and urban fora confirms that it was struck in large quantities to satisfy the daily liquidity requirements of the Roman civilian and military economies.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol. IV: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. pp. 182-185
2. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. III: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. p. 104, no. 569A
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC III Antoninus Pius 569A. ric.3.ant.569A
4. Untersuchungen zur römischen Reichsprägung des zweiten Jahrhunderts, Teil III: Die Reichsprägung zur Zeit des Antoninus Pius. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, pp. 45-52