Antoninus Pius Bronze Dupondius RIC III Antoninus Pius 1020

Monetary Context and Denominational Function

During the mid-second century AD, the Roman currency system established under Augustus remained fundamentally stable, functioning as a trimetallic structure of gold, silver, and copper alloys. Within the aes coinage, the dupondius occupied an essential intermediary tier between the small copper as, worth one-sixteenth of a silver denarius, and the heavy brass sestertius, valued at one-quarter of a denarius. The dupondius stood tariffed at two asses, or one-eighth of a denarius, making it an indispensable denomination for daily retail trade, local market purchases, and routine state disbursements. From the Neronian era onward, Roman mint authorities consistently differentiated the dupondius from the copper as through both metal composition and portrait iconography. Whereas the as was struck on commercially pure copper flans, the dupondius was manufactured from orichalcum, a golden-toned brass alloy of copper and zinc. Because natural wear and soil patination could obscure the visual distinction between yellow brass and red copper, the radiate crown functioned as an infallible visual cue designating the double value of the dupondius. Under Antoninus Pius, this denominational convention remained strictly regulated, ensuring that issues such as RIC III 1020 were immediately recognizable throughout the commercial networks of the empire.

Production and Mint Organization

The entire regular production of imperial aes coinage under Antoninus Pius was centralized at the mint of Rome. The Rome mint operated multiple officinae organized by denomination and metal, handling the heavy volume of base-metal coinage alongside precious-metal denarii and aurei. Struck between late AD 158 and late 159, RIC III 1020 was produced using standard imperial striking methods, in which cast or punched orichalcum flans were heated and struck between hand-engraved iron dies. Metallurgical analyses of Antonine orichalcum demonstrate that zinc content had begun a slow, steady decline from early first-century levels, often supplemented with minor traces of lead or tin to facilitate metal flow during striking. The dies for RIC III 1020 were executed with high artistic proficiency, reflecting the refined technical standards of the mid-second century urban mint. Die alignment on these issues is predominantly vertical (close to 12 o'clock or 6 o'clock), a regular characteristic of Antonine brass production at Rome.

Obverse Design and Iconography

The obverse of RIC III 1020 presents the radiate head of Antoninus Pius facing right. The imperial portrait illustrates the late portrait style of the reign, characterized by a realistic, serene countenance, curly hair arranged in orderly rows, and a trimmed, neatly parted beard. Antoninus Pius had retained this steady, dignified iconographic style throughout his two decades of rule, projecting stoic self-control and traditional Roman gravitas. The radiate crown atop his head consists of sharp, stylized solar rays radiating outward from a central circlet. While historically connected to solar symbolism and divine associations with Sol, on second-century brass coinage its primary institutional function was denominational clarity. The portrait is framed by a continuous peripheral legend struck within an exterior dotted border.

Reverse Iconography and Votive Symbolism

The reverse of the type features Antoninus Pius standing facing left, dressed in a traditional Roman toga. He extends his right hand holding a patera (a shallow libation dish) to perform an offering over a tripod altar, while resting his left arm at his side. Flanking the lower fields to the left and right of the central figure are the letters S and C, denoting Senatus Consulto ('by decree of the Senate'). This iconography represents pietas in action: the emperor fulfilling his duty as pontifex maximus and religious leader of the Roman state. The ritual sacrifice at a tripod altar was the standard visual formula for the undertaking (susceptio) or redemption (solutio) of imperial vows. Rather than displaying martial triumph or territorial conquest, Antoninus Pius consistently emphasized domestic peace, divine favor, and punctilious observance of traditional state cults. The composition on RIC III 1020 reaffirmed that the prosperity and stability of the realm rested upon the reciprocal relationship between the gods and a pious princeps.

Epigraphy and Legends

The obverse inscription reads ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXII, employing standard imperial nomenclature and abbreviations. 'ANTONINVS AVG[VSTVS] PIVS' identifies the emperor by his official name and cognomen of honor, followed by 'P[ATER] P[ATRIAE]' (Father of the Fatherland). The chronological marker 'TR P XXII' indicates that Antoninus Pius was exercising his twenty-second annual grant of tribunician power, an authority renewed annually each December, which establishes the striking of this issue between December AD 158 and December AD 159. The reverse inscription reads VOTA SVSCEPTA DEC III COS IIII, completed by the formulaic senatorial endorsement S C in the field. 'VOTA SVSCEPTA DEC[ENNALIA] III' translates to 'vows undertaken for the third decade of rule'. In Roman political tradition, public vows were offered for the health and safety of the emperor at regular ten-year intervals. 'COS IIII' confirms his fourth consulship, which he entered in AD 145 and held as his final consular appointment. Together, these legends form an explicit historical record documenting the ceremonial renewal of state pledges for the continuation of his principate.

Typology and Chronological Classification

RIC III Antoninus Pius 1020 belongs to a coordinated series of votive issues struck during the twenty-second tribunician year (AD 158-159). Having ascended the throne in July AD 138 following the death of Hadrian, Antoninus Pius celebrated the completion of twenty years of rule (his vicennalia) in AD 158. Concurrently, the state celebrated the fulfillment of the previous decennial vows (vota soluta) and formally undertook new vows for the upcoming third decade (vota suscepta decennalia III). The Rome mint produced this identical votive reverse across multiple denominations in this issue period. The sacrifice over a tripod altar appears on gold aurei, silver denarii, bronze sestertii (catalogued as RIC III 1005), and copper asses (RIC III 1021 and 1022). While sharing the reverse design and legends with the as issues of AD 158-159, RIC III 1020 is uniquely classified by the combination of its radiate bust and its production on a brass dupondius flan.

Circulation and Archaeological Distribution

Base-metal dupondii of the Antonine era circulated widely across the Roman world, with the heaviest concentration found in Italy and the western provinces, including Gaul, Britain, and the Germanies. Unlike precious-metal silver and gold issues, which were frequently exported beyond the frontiers or hoarded in vast quantities, aes coinage served immediate regional economic circulation. Dupondii such as RIC III 1020 remained in active commercial use for decades. Due to the high standard of Antonine brass and the relative shortage of regular new base-metal issues in the early third century, second-century dupondii frequently continued to circulate well into the reigns of the Severan dynasty and the crisis of the third century. Archaeological specimens often exhibit substantial circulation wear, smooth high points, and chemical patinas developed in various soil matrices, testifying to prolonged economic utility long after the votive celebrations of AD 158-159 had passed.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol. IV: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. pp. 343-345
2. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. III: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. p. 152, no. 1020
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC III Antoninus Pius 1020. ric.3.ant.1020
4. Untersuchungen zur römischen Reichsprägung des zweiten Jahrhunderts, Teil III: Die Reichsprägung zur Zeit des Antoninus Pius. no. 1159