Diva Faustina I Orichalcum Sestertius RIC III Antoninus Pius 1105a

Monetary Context and Denominational Function

The sestertius stood as the paramount large-format base-metal denomination of the high Roman Empire. Under the Augustan monetary framework, which remained structurally sound during the Antonine period, the sestertius was tariffed at one-quarter of an imperial silver denarius, or four copper asses. Struck in orichalcum, an alloy of copper and zinc often referred to as bronze or brass in early modern cataloguing traditions, its distinct golden-yellow appearance differentiated it immediately from the pure red copper asses and dupondii of equal or lesser scale. In everyday retail trade and urban exchange across Italy and the western provinces, the sestertius represented substantial purchasing power, bridging everyday small-value transactions and larger silver-denominated accounting transfers. Beyond its purely transactional capacity, the denomination possessed the largest available flan surface among routinely circulating Roman coinages, making it the principal vehicle for transmitting civic, religious, and dynastic programs to the broader public. The deification of Faustina the Elder in late AD 141 inaugurated one of the most prolific commemorative coin series in Roman history, embedding the imperial memory within the daily commercial life of the empire.

Production Standards and Minting at Rome

All regular imperial issues of RIC III Antoninus Pius 1105a were manufactured at the central mint in the city of Rome. Production of base-metal sestertii involved hot-striking cast planchets between hand-engraved iron dies. Planchets were carefully prepared to adhere to the customary Antonine weight standard, which centered on an average target between twenty-five and twenty-eight grams with flan diameters generally spanning thirty-one to thirty-four millimeters, though individual specimens routinely deviated according to mint tolerances and metallurgical composition. Striking large orichalcum blanks required substantial force, often applied by multiple hammer blows, which could generate minor peripheral cracking or slight axial irregularities. The mint organization during the middle of the second century operated under disciplined officinae, ensuring remarkable stylistic consistency in portrait carving, lettering spacing, and iconographic execution across the substantial commemorative emissions initiated by the imperial house.

Obverse Iconography and Imperial Portraiture

The obverse of RIC III Antoninus Pius 1105a presents the right-facing draped bust of Diva Faustina the Elder. Her portraiture captures the sophisticated aesthetic of the Antonine court, characterized by an elaborately dressed coiffure that became an iconic fashion trend across the empire. The hair is parted in parallel waves, braided across the head, drawn up smoothly from the nape of the neck, and secured into a prominent circular coil positioned atop the crown. The drapery wraps neatly around the shoulders, presenting the empress with matronly dignity and modesty. As a posthumous consecration issue, the portrait eschews mortal titles, emphasizing a serene, idealized countenance that reflects her newly acquired divine status while retaining the recognizable physiognomic traits established during her lifetime.

Reverse Typology and Symbolic Program

The reverse composition features the personification of Aeternitas standing and facing left, clad in long flowing drapery. In her extended right hand, she supports a celestial globe upon which perches a phoenix, depicted with a radiant nimbus surrounding its head. With her left hand, Aeternitas lifts a gathered fold of her skirt in a gesture evoking modesty and divine movement. The phoenix, a mythical creature legendary for cyclical self-renewal and resurrection, coupled with the cosmic sphere, serves as an explicit visual metaphor for celestial eternity and the perpetual survival of the Augusta's soul among the stars. The letters S and C flank the figure in the lower fields, recording the constitutional sanction of the Senate in conferring divine honors and authorizing the base-metal coinage.

Epigraphy and Senatorial Formulas

The epigraphic structure of RIC III Antoninus Pius 1105a is notable for its conciseness. The obverse legend reads DIVA FAVSTINA, running along the rim from the lower left to the upper right. The simple introduction of the title Diva unequivocally confirms the consecration of Faustina, signaling her official transformation from earthly empress into a state goddess. The reverse legend is inscribed as AETERNITAS, directly identifying the personification and abstract virtue personified in the central device. Flanking the figure across the field is the standard senatorial decree abbreviation S C, denoting Senatus Consulto. This formula reaffirmed the traditional division of imperial monetary oversight, formalizing the senatorial decree that accompanied both the official deification rites and the striking of token orichalcum and copper denominations.

Typological Classification and Chronological Placement

In the standard cataloguing taxonomy of Roman Imperial Coinage, volume III, this specific issue is designated as entry 1105a under Antoninus Pius. It is chronologically tied to the immediate aftermath of Faustina's death and consecration, securely assigned to AD 141. Paul Strack, in his fundamental study of Antonine base-metal coinage, organized the consecration series into clear chronological sequences based on obverse titulature and hairstyles. The brief legend DIVA FAVSTINA, combined with the coiffure gathered in a top coil without a veil or stephane, represents the primary foundational tier of the deification issues. While closely related companion types feature variations such as Aeternitas seated, holding an arm or rudder, or bearing a torch, type 1105a is specifically defined by the standing figure holding the nimbate phoenix on a globe and grasping her drapery.

Circulation, Hoard Contexts, and Survival

Sestertii bearing the consecration types of Faustina the Elder enjoyed extensive, long-term circulation across the Roman world. Hoard evidence from Italy, the Rhine-Danube limes, and Roman Britain demonstrates that Antonine brass remained active in currency pools for decades, often continuing in circulation well into the third century until the debasement crisis under the Severan and soldier emperors. Because of their widespread distribution and high initial production volumes, specimens of the Diva Faustina Aeternitas series were frequently subject to considerable surface wear, corrosion, and edge chipping in the soil. Today, specimens corresponding precisely to type RIC III 1105a survive in substantial numbers across public institutional holdings and private collections, providing clear evidence of the mint of Rome's immense output during the opening phase of Faustina's posthumous memorialization.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol. IV: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. pp. 233-235
2. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. III: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. p. 161, no. 1105a
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC III Antoninus Pius 1105a. ric.3.ant.1105a
4. Untersuchungen zur römischen Reichsprägung des zweiten Jahrhunderts, Teil III: Die Reichsprägung zur Zeit des Antoninus Pius. nos. 1220-1225