Commodus Copper-Alloy As

Monetary Context and Denominational System

Within the Augustan monetary framework that endured into the late Antonine period, the as functioned as a primary fractional base-metal unit. By tariff, four asses equaled one brass sestertius, two asses equaled one brass dupondius, and sixteen asses equaled one silver denarius. While the sestertius served as the principal unit of account and prestige bronze medium, the as was indispensable for ordinary daily transactions, minor market purchases, and change-making. Unlike the yellow-toned orichalcum used for sestertii and dupondii, imperial asses were traditionally struck in nearly unalloyed red copper, though minor elemental impurities and fluctuating scrap additions occurred in late second-century AD alloy practices. The as carried the standard senatorial authorization mark, Senatus Consulto (S C), on the reverse, maintaining the traditional constitutional fiction of joint currency regulation between the princeps and the Senate. During Commodus's reign, rising fiscal pressure, inflation, and debasement of the silver denarius placed increased transactional weight on the supply of fractional copper denominations to sustain everyday commerce.

Mints, Metallurgy, and Production

The vast majority of imperial copper-alloy asses for Commodus were produced at the central mint of Rome. Although provincial civic mints across the Greek East produced extensive regional bronze coinages denominated in assaria, obols, or local systems, those provincial emissions were distinct in metrology, language, and administration from the Roman imperial series. At the Rome mint, flans for asses were typically cast in prepared molds before being struck between engraved iron dies. Weight standards for the as under Commodus averaged approximately 9 to 12 grams, with diameters commonly ranging from 23 to 27 millimeters, though individual specimens exhibit considerable variance due to batch-tally weight control rather than strict individual piece weighing. The flan preparation often left beveled edges or traces of mold sprues. Production volumes varied markedly over time, peaking during periods of massive donatives, new military campaigns, triumph celebrations, or grain distributions.

Obverse Portraiture and Attributes

The obverse design of the as presents a chronological evolution of Commodus from adolescence to maturity. Issues produced while he was Caesar (175 to 177 AD) display a bare-headed, youthful, beardless bust. Following his elevation to Augustus in 177 AD, the portrait acquires a laureate wreath, which was the standard imperial attribute for the as, distinguishing it from the dupondius where emperors were usually depicted with a radiate crown. As Commodus aged through his sole reign (180 to 192 AD), his portraiture adopted curly hair and an increasingly full beard closely styled after Antonine conventions. In the final years of his reign, particularly around 191 and 192 AD, radical iconographic departures appeared: the emperor was depicted wearing the lion-skin headdress of Hercules, knotted under the chin, explicitly signaling his personal assimilation with the mythological demi-god Hercules Romanus. Obverse drapery varies across issues, featuring cuirassed busts, draped busts, or bare shoulders.

Reverse Iconography and Motifs

The reverse designs of Commodus's asses cover a wide thematic range, reflecting contemporary political messaging, imperial beneficence, and personal ideology. Early types struck under Marcus Aurelius highlight Spes, Pietas, sacrificial implements, and dynastic harmony. Following Marcus Aurelius's death, reverse types celebrated military treaties and victory, featuring Mars, Victoria, trophies, and captive figures representing pacified Germanic and Sarmatian tribes. Civil and administrative themes appear consistently, notably Annona and Ceres referencing the grain supply of Rome, and Liberalitas commemorating cash distributions to the urban plebs. Other traditional deities include Jupiter, Apollo, Minerva, and Salus, often invoking divine protection for the emperor's person. In the 190 to 192 AD period, reverse iconography shifted dramatically to Hercules themes, featuring the club of Hercules, the bow and quiver, Hercules standing with his attributes, and allegories commemorating the ceremonial re-founding of Rome as Colonia Lucia Annia Commodiana.

Epigraphy and Titulature

Inscriptions on the as are rendered in Latin capital lettering and provide precise historical anchors through evolving imperial titulature. Early obverses as Caesar read COMMODO CAES AVG FIL GERM, progressing to L AVREL COMMODVS AVG after his promotion to co-emperor. By his sole reign, his nomenclature incorporated M COMMODVS ANTONINVS AVG, subsequently adding the honorifics PIVS in 183 AD and FELIX in 185 AD, resulting in formulas such as M COMMODVS ANT P FELIX AVG BRIT. Epigraphy from the end of his life frequently reads L AEL AVREL COMM AVG HERCVL ROMANO. Reverse inscriptions include specific deities, virtues, and imperial titles, accompanied by annual counts of tribunician power (TR P, TR P II through TR P XVII), consulships (COS, COS II through COS VII), and imperial acclamations (IMP I through IMP VIII). The formula S C, indicating Senatus Consulto, appears in the reverse field or exergue across all standard imperial copper asses of this series.

Typology and Chronological Phasing

The typology of Commodus's copper asses can be grouped into four broad chronological phases. The first phase (175 to 177 AD) comprises his issues as Caesar under Marcus Aurelius, centered on princely duties, education, and dynastic succession. The second phase (177 to 180 AD) covers his co-reign as Augustus alongside his father, focusing on military unity along the Danube and imperial collegiality. The third phase (180 to 189 AD) spans his early sole reign, characterized by the conclusion of northern frontier conflicts, the adoption of the titles Pius and Felix, and celebrations of grain provisions and domestic peace. The final phase (189 to 192 AD) marks the megalomaniac reorientation of imperial propaganda, dominated by Hercules Romanus iconography, refoundation symbolism, and an emphasis on personal divinity. Following Commodus's assassination on December 31, 192 AD, many inscriptions were subjected to damnatio memoriae, although bronze coins in circulation generally remained unaltered.

Circulation, Hoards, and Archaeological Context

Commodus's copper asses circulated heavily throughout Italy and the western provinces of the Roman Empire, including Gaul, Hispania, Britain, and the Rhine-Danube frontier garrisons. In contrast to gold aurei and silver denarii, which circulated empire-wide and were frequently hoarded in vast quantities during times of crisis, copper asses formed part of site-find assemblages and domestic discard layers. Archaeological evidence indicates that asses remained in active circulation for decades after their issue, often wearing down to illegible discs by the mid-third century AD. Hoards containing bronze fractional coins are less common than precious-metal deposits, but site excavations frequently recover Commodan asses in market contexts, military camps, and civil settlements, demonstrating their utility for petty daily transactions. In eastern Mediterranean provinces, imperial copper asses circulated alongside or were supplanted by locally produced provincial civic bronzes.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol. IV: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. pp. 796-865
2. Description historique des monnaies frappees sous l'Empire Romain, Vol. III. pp. 230-360
3. Moneta Imperii Romani, Band 18: Die Munzpragung der Kaiser Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus und Commodus. pp. 85-142
4. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. III: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. pp. 396-444