Claudius II Antoninianus RIC V Claudius Gothicus 111

Monetary Context and Debasement

By the accession of Claudius II in AD 268, the Roman imperial monetary system was experiencing acute inflation driven by catastrophic silver debasement. The antoninianus, originally introduced in AD 215 as a tariffed double denarius containing around fifty percent silver, had suffered continuous alloy dilution under Gallienus. By the late 260s AD, typical radiates issued at central imperial mints contained barely two to three percent silver by weight, effectively functioning as copper or bronze tokens given a fleeting silver wash or blanching treatment before release. RIC V Claudius Gothicus 111 belongs to this phase of extreme fiscal stress, where the state relied on vast outputs of low-fineness coinage to finance border defenses and military retainers. Despite their diminished intrinsic metal value, these radiates remained the indispensable medium of exchange across imperial territories.

Production and the Rome Mint

RIC V Claudius Gothicus 111 was produced exclusively at the imperial mint in Rome. During this era, the urban mint operated with multiple officinae, or workshops, marked by numeric letters or symbols on certain series, though unmarked specimens such as this reverse variety were also standard products of the facility. Die production involved rapid, high-volume engraving to replace worn dies subjected to continuous hammer strikes. The blanks were composed of base billon or argentiferous bronze, with targeted individual weights clustering broadly between 2.5 and 3.5 grams and diameters averaging 18 to 21 millimeters. Flans frequently display irregular edges, cracked borders, and off-center strikes characteristic of the intense production pace demanded by wartime administration.

Obverse Iconography and Variations

The obverse presents the portrait of Claudius II, specifically defined in the standard catalogue as a radiate head facing right. The radiate crown, originally used under the Principate to signify a double denomination, had become the defining iconographic marker of the antoninianus. Die engravers rendered the emperor with sharp, close-cropped hair, a neatly trimmed military beard, and pronounced facial contours conveying austerity and determination. While the primary entry specifies an uncraped, radiate head right, closely related dies across the Rome mint occasionally experiment with slight bust drapery variations, though standard RIC 111 relies strictly on the bare-necked radiate head.

Reverse Design and Symbolism

The reverse iconography centers on Virtus, the divine personification of military courage, valor, and battlefield excellence. She or the soldier representing this martial concept stands facing left, wearing a crested helmet and complete military attire, including a cuirass and boots. The figure rests one hand on a ground-supported oval or circular shield while grasping a reversed or vertical spear in the other. This martial motif served an immediate propaganda function during the Gothic campaigns of AD 268 to 270, reassuring citizens and troops alike of the emperor's tactical fortitude and the invincibility of Roman arms.

Inscriptions and Epigraphy

The obverse inscription reads IMP CLAVDIVS AVG, contracting Imperator Claudius Augustus into a direct proclamation of supreme military authority and imperial legitimacy. The lettering is compact, arranged peripherally starting from the lower left field. On the reverse, the legend VIRTVS AVG abbreviates Virtus Augusti, or the Valor of the Emperor. The epigraphy reflects late third-century workshop habits, characterized by bold, utilitarian letterforms cut quickly into iron dies. Variations in letter spacing and occasional ligature or unbarred letters occur due to individual engraver hands at the Rome mint.

Typology and Chronological Classification

Catalogued in Roman Imperial Coinage Volume V, Part 1 by Percy H. Webb as type 111, this issue represents one of several substantive Virtus types produced for Claudius Gothicus at Rome. It is distinguished from neighboring issues such as RIC 109 and RIC 110 by the precise pairing of the simple radiate head right on the obverse and the unaugmented soldier standing left on the reverse, without additional field stars or branch symbols. Chronologically, this emission falls between late AD 268 and the emperor's death in early AD 270, spanning the central active phase of the Rome mint prior to the posthumous DIVO CLAVDIO memorial series.

Circulation, Hoards, and Deposition

Antoniniani of Claudius II, including RIC 111, circulated in astronomical numbers across the Western and Central Roman Empire. Extensive hoard evidence from Britain, Gaul, Italy, and the Danube reveals that these debased pieces circulated alongside earlier Gallienic radiates and later Aurelianic reforms. Because their silver content was so low, they were rarely hoarded selectively for bullion; instead, they formed immense bulk savings hoards accumulated during decades of hyperinflation. Due to prolonged circulation through the late third century, surviving examples frequently show heavy die wear, surface corrosion, and the loss of the original superficial silver enrichment.

References

1. Coin Hoards and Hoarding in the Roman Empire. Chapter 4
2. Monnaies de l'Empire Romain XII.1: D'Aurélien à Florien (275-276 après J.-C.). Introduction
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC V Claudius Gothicus 111. ric.5.cg.111
4. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. V, Part I. p. 219, no. 111