Domitian Bronze As, RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Domitian 383

Monetary Context and Imperial Reform

The year AD 85 marked a defining turning point in the monetary administration of the Roman Empire under Domitian. Early in his reign, Domitian embarked upon a resolute monetary policy characterized by strict fiscal discipline and a deliberate elevation of coinage standards. Unlike the prevailing inflationary adjustments of the later Julio-Claudian and early Flavian periods, Domitian dramatically increased the silver fineness and weight of the denarius in AD 82 and AD 85, aligning imperial issues more closely with Augustan benchmarks. This policy of revaluation and fiscal stringency was accompanied by substantial reform in the base-metal denominations, where copper asses and orichalcum sestertii and dupondii were struck with rigorous quality control at the imperial mint. The denomination of the as, struck in relatively pure red copper rather than brass, occupied a foundational position in everyday domestic commerce, tariffed at sixteen to the silver denarius and four to the brass sestertius. By issuing base-metal coinage bearing the personification of Moneta, the imperial administration directly publicized its commitment to standardized currency, reliable purchasing power, and administrative honesty throughout domestic markets.

Production and Mint Organization

All regular imperial issues of RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Domitian 383 were produced at the central mint of Rome. Base-metal production under the Flavians was concentrated almost entirely in the capital, following the temporary provincial operations of the civil wars and early Vespasianic era. Striking copper asses required round copper flans prepared through casting and cold hammering before being heated and placed between engraved intaglio dies. The dies for this issue reflect the high artistic standard of the Roman master engravers operating during the middle Flavian period. Striking was performed manually with heavy hammers, which frequently caused minor flan irregularities, slight centering shifts, and variations in axial alignment, although the Rome mint maintained a generally consistent die axis around 6 o'clock or 12 o'clock. Asses of this series were struck to a theoretical standard centered between 10.0 and 11.0 grams with a flan diameter averaging between 27 and 29 millimeters, displaying the characteristic red tone of pure copper that contrasted sharply with the golden hue of brass orichalcum dupondii.

Obverse Iconography and Imperial Portraiture

The obverse of this type presents a commanding right-facing portrait of Domitian, shown laureate and wearing an aegis on the shoulder or bust. Roman portraiture under Domitian developed a distinct blend of Julio-Claudian classical restraint and realistic Flavian modeling, presenting the emperor with a fleshy neck, strong jawline, and curled hair bound by the laurel wreath of victorious imperium. The addition of the aegis, an attribute traditionally associated with Jupiter and Minerva, elevates the portrait beyond conventional magistral depiction, directly evoking divine protection and martial invulnerability. Domitian maintained an intense personal devotion to Minerva, and the depiction of the protective aegis on bronze coinage struck at Rome visually conveyed this tutelary alliance. The surrounding Latin inscription is tightly composed within a beaded border, framing the imperial bust in an official balance of sacred iconography and constitutional titles.

Reverse Iconography of Moneta

The reverse iconography depicts the personification Moneta standing draped and facing left. In her outstretched right hand, she holds a pair of balance scales, symbolizing the scrupulous measurement and equitable distribution of metals within the mint. In her left arm, she cradles a cornucopia filled with fruits, conveying the resultant material prosperity and economic abundance guaranteed by sound imperial finances. Flanking the lower fields of the figure are the large capital letters S and C, representing Senatus Consulto. While imperial coinage was struck under direct imperial direction, the retention of the senatorial formula on bronze and copper issues maintained constitutional continuity and affirmed public consensus. The Moneta type was one of the most frequently repeated allegories of Domitian's bronze coinage, reinforcing the emperor's self-presentation as the vigilant guardian of the empire's currency and standard of living.

Inscriptions and Epigraphic Analysis

The obverse legend reads IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XI CENS POT P P, while the reverse legend provides MONETA AVGVST, supplemented by the field letters S C. Epigraphically, the obverse legend translates as Imperator Caesar Domitianus Augustus Germanicus, Consul XI, Censoria Potestate, Pater Patriae. The inclusion of Germanicus records Domitian's victory over the Chatti in AD 83, a title he formally adopted in late AD 83 or early AD 84. The notation COS XI fixes the date of the issue securely to AD 85, the year of his eleventh consulship. Furthermore, CENS POT records his assumption of censorial power in the spring or early summer of AD 85, prior to his assumption of the perpetual censorship as Censor Perpetuus later in the same year. The reverse legend MONETA AVGVST is an abbreviation of Moneta Augusti, meaning the Moneta of the Emperor, explicitly binding the imperial persona to the integrity of the mint and the quality of the coinage.

Typology and Chronological Classification

Within the typology established in the revised second edition of Roman Imperial Coinage, RIC 383 is classified precisely under Domitian's issues of AD 85 from the mint of Rome. The precise combination of COS XI with CENS POT defines a tight chronological window within the year AD 85, situated between the initial assumption of censorial power and the subsequent adoption of the title Censor Perpetuus in the autumn of that year. While neighboring issues in the catalogue feature variant portrait treatments, such as a plain laureate head or a laureate head with drapery, type 383 specifically denotes the laureate bust right with the aegis. Similarly, parallel reverse types of AD 85 include depictions of Minerva, Virtus, and personifications of Pax or Fortuna, distinguishing RIC 383 as the specific bronze as issue that conjoins the aegis portrait with the standing Moneta reverse.

Circulation, Hoards, and Archaeological Context

Copper asses of Domitian circulated extensively throughout the central and western provinces of the Roman Empire, as well as across the Italian peninsula. Excavation data from military garrisons along the Rhine and Danube frontiers, urban civilian sites in Britain and Gaul, and major settlements in Italy demonstrate that Flavian bronze coins remained active in currency pools for decades. Because base-metal denominations were subjected to everyday commercial transactions, specimens frequently exhibit moderate to heavy wear from continuous use through the reigns of Nerva, Trajan, and Hadrian. Hoard evidence demonstrates that while silver denarii were often hoarded and occasionally melted down when weights were adjusted under later emperors, copper asses regularly survived in site-find contexts, wells, and daily circulation deposits, providing vital archaeological markers for Flavian occupation phases and commercial vitality.

References

1. Coinage in the Roman World. pp. 86-105
2. Coinage and Finances in the Reign of Domitian, A.D. 81-96. BAR International Series 178, pp. 63-98
3. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Volume II: Vespasian to Domitian. pp. 370-395
4. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Domitian 383. ric.2_1(2).dom.383
5. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume II, Part 1: From AD 69 to AD 96: Vespasian to Domitian. pp. 280-310, no. 383