RIC III Antoninus Pius 1368 Sestertius

Monetary Context and Denominational Function

During the reign of Antoninus Pius (AD 138 to 161), the imperial monetary system maintained the established Augustan denominations across gold, silver, and copper-alloy metals. Within this monetary framework, the sestertius represented the largest regular base-metal denomination, valued at four asses, two dupondii, or one-quarter of a silver denarius. Cast from orichalcum, a golden-toned copper-zinc brass, the sestertius possessed substantial weight and a broad surface diameter, typically spanning 30 to 34 millimeters, making it an ideal instrument for state messaging alongside its role in high-volume commercial transactions. While gold aurei and silver denarii primarily targeted the military, regional administrative bodies, and interprovincial trade networks, brass sestertii circulated actively in civilian markets across Italy and the western provinces. Issues struck for imperial women served a distinct public function by framing dynastic security, marriage, and fertility as matters of state stability. Struck under the authority of Antoninus Pius for his daughter Annia Galeria Faustina, known to modern historians as Faustina the Younger, RIC 1368 communicated the continuity of the Antonine succession following her wedding to Marcus Aurelius in AD 145.

Mint Location and Production Methods

All specimens of RIC III Antoninus Pius 1368 were produced exclusively at the single central imperial mint in Rome. Mid-second-century bronze coinage production employed highly organized workshops staffed by specialized die-engravers, flan-casters, and strikers under the administrative oversight of the imperial procurators. Flans were cast in open or two-part molds using orichalcum alloy, an alloy prized for its warm, brassy yellow sheen that distinguished sestertii and dupondii from pure copper asses. Once prepared, the flans were heated to a workable temperature and positioned between hand-carved steel dies before being struck manually with heavy hammers. Sestertii of Antoninus Pius typically maintained an average weight standard clustering between 24 and 27 grams, though production tolerances allowed individual specimens to vary from roughly 21 to over 30 grams without loss of face value, as base-metal coinage functioned on a token tariff guaranteed by imperial law. Die alignment on these issues is predominantly vertical or near-vertical, following the regular six o'clock or twelve o'clock axes established by the Rome mint during the High Empire.

Obverse Iconography and Imperial Portraiture

The obverse of RIC 1368 presents a draped bust of Faustina the Younger facing right. Her hair is rendered in an elaborate and distinctive coiffure characteristic of the mid-Antonine court, arranged in precise horizontal waves that frame the forehead and temples, complemented by fine ringlets descending down the sides of the face. The hair is gathered at the nape of the neck into a compact, coiled chignon, reflecting the elevated fashion of Roman aristocratic matrons. The drapery wraps around the shoulders and base of the neck with delicately engraved folds, conveying decorum and modesty. Portrait dies for this type capture the youthful features of Faustina in her early twenties, contrasting noticeably with the later, more mature representations executed during her husband Marcus Aurelius's sole and joint reigns. The portrait is enclosed by the bold obverse legend running clockwise along the border of dots.

Reverse Design and Allegorical Symbolism

The reverse iconography of RIC 1368 features Concordia, the Roman personification of marital harmony, civic agreement, and mutual goodwill. Concordia stands erect, oriented toward the left, clad in a traditional long stola and flowing mantle. In her extended right hand she holds a patera, a shallow libation dish used in Roman religious rituals, symbolizing piety and sacred vows. In her left arm she cradles an overflowing cornucopiae, the horn of abundance, which alludes to peace, prosperity, and the hoped-for fruitful issue of her marriage. Flanking the allegorical figure are the prominent letters S and C in the left and right fields, representing Senatus Consulto, the official decree of the Senate sanctioning the issue of base-metal coinage. The composition is classicizing and restrained, communicating both religious solemnity and imperial benevolence.

Epigraphy and Legend Analysis

The obverse legend reads FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, inscribed in clear Roman square capitals. This legend proclaims her supreme feminine rank of Augusta, a title bestowed upon her following the birth of her first child in AD 147, confirming her elevated status within the ruling hierarchy. The reverse legend bears the text AVGVSTI PII FIL, an abbreviation for Augusti Pii Filia, signifying 'Daughter of Augustus Pius'. This explicit patronymic lineage directly binds Faustina's public identity and moral standing to Antoninus Pius, the ruling emperor, assuring the Roman populace that the lineage of the adoptive dynasty was anchored through blood and marriage. Below and beside the central figure, the formula S C (Senatus Consulto) confirms senatorial compliance with imperial mint directives, maintaining the traditional constitutional facade of the principate.

Typology and Chronological Classification

Within the typology of the Roman Imperial Coinage corpus, RIC III 1368 belongs to the sequence of bronze issues struck for Faustina the Younger during the reign of her father Antoninus Pius between AD 145 and 161. Specifically, the introduction of the title AVGVSTA together with the patronymic AVGVSTI PII FIL places the inception of this exact type no earlier than late AD 147, when Faustina was formally elevated to Augusta following the birth of Domitia Faustina. The type continued in production over several emission phases across the 150s AD. RIC 1368 is catalogued alongside parallel denominations featuring the same iconographic scheme, including middle bronzes (dupondii and asses) classified under RIC III 1404, as well as contemporaneous aurei and denarii bearing the Concordia standing motif. Subtle variations in die engraving occur across the sestertius series, most notably in the tightness of the hair coils, the rendering of the patera, and the positioning of the field letters S C relative to the drapery.

Circulation, Hoards, and Archaeological Context

As a principal denomination of everyday commerce, sestertii of the Antonine era circulated widely and remained in active use for decades. Specimens of RIC 1368 regularly appear in archaeological site finds and bronze coin hoards throughout Italy, the Gauls, the Rhine frontier, and the Danubian provinces. Due to the high volume of base-metal currency required for daily urban trade, military stipends, and market exchange, sestertii experienced sustained circulation wear, with many examples continuing in circulation well into the third-century crisis before the massive debasements under the Severan and soldier-emperor dynasties. Hoards deposited in Roman Britain, such as the Shapwick and Dorchester deposits, demonstrate that Antonine bronze issues retained their denominational utility until the bronze currency system collapsed in the AD 260s. The durable orichalcum fabric and clear epigraphy of RIC 1368 facilitated lasting recognition of the imperial family across multiple generations of Roman subjects.

References

1. Britannia: The Creation of a Roman Province. pp. 112-118
2. Die Bildnistypen der Faustina minor und die Fecunditas Augustae. pp. 22-35
3. Coins for a Legion: An Analysis of the Coin Finds of the Augustan Legionary Fortress and Flavian Canabae Legionis at Nijmegen. pp. 85-98
4. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume III: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. pp. 189, no. 1368
5. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC III Antoninus Pius 1368. ric.3.ant.1368
6. Untersuchungen zur romischen Reichspragung des zweiten Jahrhunderts, Teil III: Die Reichspragung zur Zeit des Antoninus Pius. pp. 120-128