Caracalla Bronze Sestertius RIC IV Caracalla 573B

Monetary Context and Denominational Role

During the reign of Caracalla (sole Augustus AD 211 to 217), the Roman imperial monetary system underwent profound structural adjustments. While imperial fiscal policy is most famously remembered in this era for the introduction of the antoninianus (or double denarius) in AD 215 and the gradual debasement of silver purity, the base-metal denominations remained essential for everyday transactional liquidity. The sestertius, traditionally struck in orichalcum or bronze, had functioned for over two centuries as the principal large-module coin of imperial Rome, valued tariffed at one quarter of a silver denarius or four copper asses. By the early third century AD, inflationary pressures and the escalating financial burdens of military remuneration led to subtle shifts in the management of the aes coinage. Although production volumes of copper-alloy issues fluctuated relative to the immense mintages of precious metals required to pay the legions, the Rome mint continued to strike sestertii of substantial heft. Theoretical weight standards for Severan sestertii generally oscillated between 22 and 28 grams, though specimens frequently showed considerable deviation due to al marco casting of flans prior to striking. Type RIC IV Caracalla 573B belongs to this monetary framework, functioning as a high-visibility token of imperial legitimacy, civic commerce, and institutional stability during the latter half of Caracalla's sole reign.

Production and Mint Organization

All imperial bronze denominations carrying traditional senatorial authorization, signified by the formulaic S C (Senatus Consulto), were produced exclusively at the central imperial mint in Rome. Under Caracalla, the Rome mint was organized into multiple working divisions or officinae, which coordinated the engraving of dies, preparation of flans, and striking of precious and base metals under the oversight of imperial monetary officials. The manufacturing process required cast bronze flans of generous diameter, typically spanning between 30 and 34 millimeters, which were struck with hand-held steel or bronze dies. The strike required heavy hammer blows to bring the deeply engraved details of the imperial portrait and seated deity into full relief. The presence of the left-facing portrait on RIC IV Caracalla 573B highlights a controlled, deliberate engraving choice within the mint workshops. While right-facing busts constituted the standard output of the Rome mint, left-facing dies were periodically introduced by master engravers, likely signifying select production runs, particular officina assignments, or special presentation issues struck alongside normal commercial output.

Obverse Imagery and Iconography

The obverse of RIC IV Caracalla 573B features a portrait of Caracalla facing left, shown laureate, draped, and cuirassed. The imperial countenance captures the distinct portraiture style characteristic of Caracalla's sole reign: a muscular, mature facial structure, deeply furrowed brow, cropped curly hair, tightly curled beard, and intense, severe gaze. This aggressive physiognomic style, commonly associated with the emperor's self-identification as a soldier-ruler in the mold of Alexander the Great, deliberately departed from the more serene, philosophical portraits favored by Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. The leftward bust orientation is a notable departure from the prevailing convention. In Roman imperial numismatics, left-facing portraits are consistently less common than their right-facing counterparts. The combination of the laurel wreath, symbol of military victory and civil majesty, with both paludamentum (drapery) and military cuirass reinforces Caracalla's dual persona as commander-in-chief of the Roman army and supreme civil magistrate of the empire.

Reverse Iconography and Symbolism

The reverse of the coin is devoted to Securitas, the personification of security, psychological reassurance, and political safety. In this design, she is portrayed as a draped female figure seated toward the right upon a low stool or seat. Her posture is one of deliberate ease and confidence: she rests her head thoughtfully against her right hand, while supporting a long sceptre with her left hand. Positioned directly in front of her feet is a small, lighted altar. This specific compositional arrangement carries deep ideological resonance. The relaxed posture of Securitas, with her head supported on her hand, symbolizes complete freedom from anxiety and imminent danger. The sceptre denotes her divine authority and association with sovereign power, while the flaming altar emphasizes that enduring peace and imperial safety are inextricably bound to pius ritual conduct and divine favor. By directing this imagery toward the public, the administration broadcast an assurance that the state remained fundamentally tranquil, protected from external barbarian threats and internal sedition through the watchful guardianship of the emperor.

Inscriptions and Epigraphy

The obverse inscription reads M AVREL ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM, an abbreviation of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius Augustus Germanicus. This titulature provides essential chronological and historical markers. The initial name recalls the dynastic fiction connecting the Severan dynasty to the Antonine emperors, while PIVS asserts filial piety and duty toward the gods and the Roman state. AVG denotes the supreme title Augustus. Crucially, the cognomen ex virtute GERM (Germanicus or Germanicus Maximus) was adopted in late AD 213 following Caracalla's campaigns against the Alamanni and other Germanic tribes along the Rhine and Danube frontiers, providing an unshakeable terminus post quem for the issue. The reverse inscription reads SECVRITATI PERPETVAE, rendered in the dative case to signify a dedicated offering: 'To Perpetual Security' or 'For Everlasting Security.' Flanking the seated figure in the field or exergue are the letters S C, representing Senatus Consulto ('By decree of the Senate'). While real political power resided solely with the emperor, the formal retention of S C on bronze coinage maintained the constitutional fiction established during the Augustan principate that the senate sanctioned the issue of public base-metal currency.

Typology and Chronological Classification

In the standard reference framework of Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC), this sestertius is classified as RIC IV Caracalla 573B. It is situated within the broader thematic group of Securitas issues produced in the final triennium of Caracalla's reign, dating between AD 214 and AD 217. It stands alongside RIC IV Caracalla 573A, which carries the exact same reverse type and legend but features a conventional right-facing laureate bust. Because the obverse legend omits Caracalla's sequential tribunician numbers (Tribunicia Potestate, TR P), absolute precision down to a specific calendar year relies on stylistic comparison with dated denarii and aurei of the same period. The Germanicus title securely fixes the type to the years following AD 213, while parallel reverse types inscribed with TR P XVII (AD 214) through TR P XX (AD 217) demonstrate that Securitas imagery was struck continuously throughout this concluding phase of his rule. RIC 573B thus constitutes an undated parallel bronze issue produced contemporaneously across this four-year bracket.

Circulation and Archaeological Context

Severan sestertii circulated extensively throughout the western provinces of the Roman Empire, including Roman Britain, Gaul, the Rhine frontier, and Italy itself. In these regions, bronze coins remained in active circulation for decades after their initial minting, often continuing to exchange well into the mid-third century AD until monetary disruptions during the Gallic Empire and the crisis of the 260s AD caused rapid hoarding or retirement of earlier high-weight orichalcum pieces. Archaeological finds and hoard records indicate that while sestertii bearing Securitas types are well represented across European excavations, dies featuring the leftward portrait bust appear in considerably smaller proportions compared to rightward portraits. Wear patterns on surviving specimens typically range from moderate to heavy, reflecting prolonged commercial utility in transactions where large bronze denominations served as standard daily purchasing units.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Volume V: Pertinax to Elagabalus. pp. 488-495
2. The Severan Monetary Reforms and Imperial Coinage. pp. 55-72
3. Roman Coins from the Earliest Times to the Fall of the Western Empire. pp. 125-140
4. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC IV Caracalla 573B. ric.4.crl.573B
5. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume IV, Part I: Pertinax to Geta. p. 303, no. 573B