Antoninus Pius Bronze As (RIC III Antoninus Pius 568A)

Monetary Context and Denominational Role

Under the Antonine monetary system, the bronze as continued to serve as the core base-metal unit of daily retail commerce across the central Roman Empire. Since the monetary reforms of Augustus in the late first century BC, the imperial bronze and brass series had maintained an interconnected four-tiered hierarchy: the sestertius (valued at four asses) and the dupondius (valued at two asses) were struck in orichalcum (a bright brass alloy), while the as and its rare fractions, the semis and quadrans, were struck in red unalloyed copper or related copper alloys. By the reign of Antoninus Pius (AD 138 to 161), the as remained crucial for small retail transactions, market purchases, and daily cash transactions among urban populations. RIC III Antoninus Pius 568A was struck within this well-regulated framework during AD 139, the second calendar year of Antoninus's rule. The nominal value of the coin was fixed at one-sixteenth of the standard imperial silver denarius, providing fractional liquidity beneath the larger orichalcum sestertius. Although inflation and slight adjustments in metallic fineness altered the silver coinage over the second century, the bronze denominations maintained relative stability in physical size and civic usage during this decade.

Production Standards and Minting

All official imperial bronze coinage bearing standard senatorial formulas during this period was produced exclusively at the primary imperial mint in Rome. Mint administration operated under senatorial oversight for bronze issues, as signified by the prominent formula S C, even though actual fiscal policy remained under the direction of the emperor and his financial administrators. The as was typically manufactured from cast flans of relatively pure copper, distinct from the zinc-bearing alloy reserved for contemporary dupondii and sestertii. Flans were heated and struck between hand-carved steel dies. Striking standards for mid-second-century asses targeted an average weight between 9.5 and 11.0 grams, with flan diameters generally measuring between 26 and 28 millimeters, though manual flan casting produced noticeable specimen-to-specimen variation. Die alignment on Rome mint issues of this period typically followed a regular upright or inverted axis (six o'clock or twelve o'clock). The engraving style of RIC III Antoninus Pius 568A reflects the refined academic realism characteristic of the Antonine mint, featuring disciplined lettering, carefully rendered facial physiognomy, and anatomically balanced personifications.

Obverse Design and Portraiture

The obverse of RIC III Antoninus Pius 568A displays the right-facing, laureate head of Emperor Antoninus Pius. Unlike the radiate crown, which by convention distinguished the double denomination (the dupondius) on male imperial portraits, the laureate wreath was standard on the as and the sestertius, immediately signalling the denomination to users in the marketplace. The portrait style adheres closely to the first official portrait type developed for Antoninus Pius after his accession in July AD 138. The emperor is depicted in mature adulthood, featuring tightly curled hair bound by a laurel wreath tied at the nape of the neck, a neatly trimmed beard, and a calm, composed facial expression. This restrained portraiture was deliberately modelled on classical principles, projecting modesty, civic restraint, and devotion to duty (pietas). The surrounding text commences at the lower left and follows the perimeter of the flan clockwise, framing the imperial portrait within the formal titulature of the early principate.

Reverse Iconography and Symbolism

The reverse of the type features the Genius Populi Romani, the protective spirit or divine embodiment of the Roman citizenry. The figure stands facing left, semi-draped in classical garments that wrap around the lower body. In his right hand, the Genius extends a patera (a shallow libation dish) over a small, low lighted altar set to the left, caught in the act of offering a sacrifice. In his left arm, he cradles a cornucopiae, the horn of plenty overflowing with fruits and grains. The pairing of sacrificial action with the cornucopiae conveys a clear dual message: the piety of the Roman people and their princeps guarantees divine favor, which in turn results in material abundance and civic well-being. Across the reverse field, the letters S and C flank the standing figure, validating the issue under traditional senatorial decree. The motif of the Genius Populi Romani had deep roots in Republican and early imperial religion, but its deployment at the dawn of the Antonine era offered immediate reassurance of continuity, harmony between princeps and populace, and agricultural fertility.

Epigraphy and Legend Readings

The obverse inscription reads ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P, expanding to Antoninus Augustus Pius, Pater Patriae. This sequence demonstrates the gradual accumulation of the emperor's official names: 'Antoninus' after his adoption by Hadrian; 'Augustus' upon his formal elevation; 'Pius', conferred by the Senate shortly after his accession; and 'P P' (Pater Patriae, Father of the Country), which Antoninus accepted in early AD 139 after an initial period of polite refusal. The reverse legend is rendered as TR POT COS II G P R S C. The chronological element TR POT denotes Tribunicia Potestate (holding the Tribunician Power), the fundamental legal basis of imperial civil authority. COS II indicates his second consulship, which commenced on January 1, AD 139. The letters G P R represent the abbreviation for Genius Populi Romani, identifying the personified figure depicted in the central field. Finally, S C stands for Senatus Consulto ('by decree of the Senate'), the centuries-old constitutional formula confirming the senatorial authorization of state bronze issues. Epigraphically, the letters are rendered in tall, well-spaced Roman monumental capitals.

Typology and Chronological Classification

In the standard classification established by Harold Mattingly and Edward Sydenham in The Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC), volume III, this specific issue is designated as entry 568A. The date of production can be placed securely in AD 139 based on the combination of titles. Antoninus held his second consulship (COS II) throughout AD 139, entering his third consulship (COS III) on January 1, AD 140. Furthermore, the inclusion of P P on the obverse demonstrates that the dies were prepared after his acceptance of the title Pater Patriae in early 139. RIC III Antoninus Pius 568A forms part of an interconnected series of bronze coins struck in 139 celebrating fundamental civic deities and allegories, including Pax, Fides, and Annona. The Genius Populi Romani type was produced simultaneously in both the larger sestertius and the smaller as denominations, reflecting a coordinated thematic issue across base-metal denominations intended to emphasize the reciprocal bond between the ruler, the Senate, and the citizens of Rome.

Circulation, Wear, and Archaeological Context

Bronze asses struck at the Rome mint circulated widely across the western provinces of the Roman Empire, including Italy, Gaul, Hispania, Britain, and the Danubian frontier. In contrast to high-denomination gold and silver coins, which were frequently hoarded and preserved in excellent condition, bronze asses were subject to heavy, continuous circulation in market transactions. Consequently, surviving specimens of RIC III Antoninus Pius 568A commonly exhibit moderate to severe surface wear, smoothing of the high points of the portrait and the reverse figure, and patination typical of long burial in varying soil environments. Excavation data from Roman military camps and urban settlements indicate that second-century asses often remained in circulation for decades, sometimes circulating alongside first-century issues from the Flavian and Trajanic eras well into the third century AD before being withdrawn or abandoned.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Volume IV: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. pp. 182-185
2. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC III Antoninus Pius 568A. RIC III Antoninus Pius 568A
3. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume III: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. p. 104, no. 568A