Augustus Bronze As, RIC I (second edition) Augustus 245

Monetary Context and Denominational System

The monetary reforms implemented under Augustus during the late 20s and early teens BC established a four-metal monetary system structured around gold, silver, brass (orichalcum), and pure copper or bronze alloys. Within this unified imperial hierarchy, base-metal denominations met the heavy demands of daily retail transactions, civic markets, and military pay distribution in the provinces. While the sestertius and dupondius were struck in orichalcum, the as was typically manufactured from unalloyed copper at Rome, although provincial Western issues frequently utilized local bronze alloys. As the workhorse fractional denomination, the as was valued at four per sestertius and sixteen per silver denarius. In the northwestern provinces, the supply of Rome-minted bronze was frequently insufficient to support the large concentrations of legions stationed along the Rhine and Danubian frontiers. Lugdunum had emerged as an administrative hub and primary western mint, producing vast quantities of fractional coinage under the authority of Augustus. The issue catalogued as RIC I (second edition) Augustus 245 belongs to the concluding phases of this monumental Gallic bronze production. Appearing alongside corresponding semisses and quadrantes, this as provided essential liquidity to civilian settlers, veterans, and military auxiliary forces throughout northern and central Gaul, providing a reliable state-backed medium of exchange that displaced earlier regional tribal currencies and Republican bronze remainders.

Production and Minting Operations at Lugdunum

The mint of Lugdunum was established during the middle of the reign of Augustus, operating initially as an active producer of imperial gold and silver before expanding into extensive base-metal issues. The Altar series of Lugdunum was issued in multiple distinct chronological phases, beginning in the late first century BC and culminating in the later series struck between AD 10 and 14. RIC 245 represents the culmination of this minting effort under Augustus, produced directly under the supervision of imperial legates and provincial monetary administrators. Technically, these asses were manufactured by casting flans from molten copper or bronze alloy before striking them between engraved bronze or iron dies. Weight standards for the Lugdunum asses generally conformed to the Augustan norm for base-metal fractional denominations, clustering around 10 to 11 grams, although variations resulting from rapid mass production and flan preparation are common across surviving hoards. Die alignment was maintained within predictable vertical axes, typical of contemporary western imperial mint organization. The dies were cut by skilled engravers capable of rendering both the fine portraiture of Tiberius and the intricate architectural details of the regional sanctuary, demonstrating an organized industrial scale of production geared toward supplying the frontier provinces.

Obverse Iconography and Dynastic Presentation

The obverse of RIC 245 features the right-facing, laureate head of Tiberius. The laurel wreath binds his neatly arranged classical hair, with ties falling down the nape of the neck. Tiberius is depicted with distinct facial traits: a firm chin, pronounced nose, and serious expression, adhering closely to the idealized yet recognizable Julio-Claudian dynastic court style established in the capital. From a dynastic perspective, the portrait selection is of paramount significance. Although Augustus remained princeps until his death in August of AD 14, this late bronze issue deliberately places his adopted son and co-regent on the obverse. Following his adoption in AD 4, the granting of tribunician power (tribunicia potestas), and his subsequent joint imperium, Tiberius was systematically elevated as Augustus's sole viable successor. By displaying Tiberius wearing the laurel wreath, the coin visibly communicated to the legionaries of the Rhine and the provincial population that Tiberius held supreme military standing and was the designated heir to imperial power.

The Altar of Lugdunum Reverse Design

The reverse design displays the famous Altar of the Three Gauls (Ara Trium Galliarum), dedicated in 12 BC at Condate, near the confluence of the Rhone and Saone rivers. The monument was constructed by Drusus the Elder to provide a unified political and religious sanctuary where representatives from sixty-four Gallic communities assembled annually for provincial council meetings and religious rites honoring the imperial regime. On RIC 245, the altar is depicted with elaborate architectural and sculptural details. The central panel of the altar superstructure is decorated with the corona civica (civic oak wreath), flanked by branches of laurel and figures of standing nude males. The sides of the altar are framed by two tall, freestanding columns, each surmounted by a winged Victory facing inward. The Victories hold wreaths and palm branches aloft, symbolizing triumph and divine favor. The rendering encapsulates both the military victories of Rome over the Gallic tribes and the integration of these communities into the imperial fold through the shared civic cult.

Epigraphy and Titulature Analysis

The obverse legend reads clockwise from the lower left: TI CAESAR AVGVST F IMPERAT VII. Fully expanded, this inscription reads 'Tiberius Caesar, Augusti Filius, Imperator Septimum' (Tiberius Caesar, son of Augustus, acclaimed imperator for the seventh time). The epigraphy provides explicit chronological and dynastic data. The patronymic 'AVGVST F' reaffirms Tiberius's legal adoption into the Julian gens, cementing his familial legitimacy. The military title 'IMPERAT VII' marks his seventh imperatorial salutation, awarded in AD 12 following his military pacification and successful campaigns in Germany. The reverse legend is positioned in the exergue beneath the altar plinth, reading simply ROM ET AVG ('Romae et Augusto'). This dedicatory inscription names the dual recipients of the provincial cult: the personified goddess Roma and the living princeps Augustus. By pairing Roma with Augustus, the legend emphasizes the unity between the imperial state and the ruler, avoiding direct Hellenistic monarchical deification in favor of a sanctioned civic cult suitable for provincial Western subjects.

Typology and Chronological Classification

In the standard reference corpus The Roman Imperial Coinage, volume I (second edition), C. H. V. Sutherland classified this specific type as RIC 245 under the coinage of Augustus. It belongs to the broader 'Altar II' series of Lugdunum, which is distinguished from the earlier 'Altar I' series (struck c. 10 BC to 3 BC) by changes in portraiture, the specific titles of the issuers, and altered decorative details on the altar columns. Chronological placement between AD 12 and AD 14 is securely established by Tiberius's imperatorial acclamation. Tiberius received his sixth imperatorial salutation in AD 11 and his seventh in AD 12 upon celebrating his German triumph in Rome. Consequently, coins bearing 'IMPERAT VII' could not have been struck prior to AD 12. Production of RIC 245 continued up to the death of Augustus in August of AD 14, after which Tiberius assumed the principate and initiated subsequent issues bearing his own titles as Augustus and imperator for the eighth time (RIC I Tiberius 31). RIC 245 therefore forms the final transitional bridge between the Augustan and Tiberian coinages at Lugdunum.

Circulation, Hoard Evidence, and Provincial Reception

Archaeological excavation and numismatic hoard evidence demonstrate that RIC 245 and related Lugdunum altar asses circulated extensively throughout the western provinces of the Roman Empire. Heavy concentrations are documented at military sites along the Rhine frontier, such as Haltern, Xanten (Vetera), Mainz (Mogontiacum), and across numerous auxiliary castra in Gallia Belgica, Germania Inferior, and Germania Superior. The coins satisfied the demand for small change in legionary camp markets and military settlement supply networks. In addition to military sites, RIC 245 circulated widely among civilian settlements throughout Gallia Lugdunensis, Aquitania, and Narbonensis, even penetrating into the western reaches of Raetia and northern Hispania. Wear patterns observed in excavation finds indicate that these asses enjoyed a prolonged operational life, often remaining in circulation for decades after their minting, well into the reigns of Caligula and Claudius. Due to prolonged regional shortages of low-value copper coinage in the western provinces, many specimens were subsequently countermarked by military units or halved to serve as fractional quadrantes or semisses.

References

1. Catalogue des monnaies de l'Empire romain, I: Auguste. nos. 1761-1773
2. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Volume I: Augustus to Vitellius. pp. 95-96, nos. 579-584
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC I (second edition) Augustus 245. ric.1(2).aug.245
4. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume I: From 31 BC to AD 69 (Revised Edition). p. 58, no. 245