Elagabalus Silver Antoninianus RIC IV Elagabalus 122f

Monetary Context and Denominational Role

The antoninianus was first struck in 215 AD during the currency reforms instituted by Caracalla. Intended to alleviate state budgetary shortfalls, this new radiate coin circulated alongside the traditional laureate denarius. Although ancient sources do not preserve its original technical name, modern numismatists designate the piece an antoninianus following an ambiguous mention in the Historia Augusta. Metrologically, the denomination weighed approximately one and a half times as much as a contemporary denarius, averaging roughly 5.0 to 5.2 grams at inception, yet fiscal authorities tariffed it at a nominal value of two denarii. This intrinsic overvaluation generated substantial seigniorage profits for the imperial treasury while simultaneously introducing inflationary pressures into the monetary system. Following the assassination of Caracalla, Macrinus maintained the production of radiates at a restricted scale, a policy continued upon the accession of Elagabalus in 218 AD. By this stage, the alloy of the antoninianus mirrored the debasement of the Severan denarius, typically containing between forty and forty-six percent silver, with the remainder composed of copper and trace elements. RIC IV Elagabalus 122f was issued during this brief period of renewed production before the Rome mint discontinued striking antoniniani around late 219 AD. The temporary abandonment of the double denarius denomination in favor of an exclusively denarius-based silver output underscores the shifting monetary priorities of the early third century AD.

Production Standards and Mint Attribution

Catalogue type RIC IV Elagabalus 122f is securely attributed to the imperial mint situated in Rome. During the Severan period, the principal workshop at Rome operated with multiple officinae organized to supply coin across all denominations to the civil administration and military forces throughout the Western provinces. Engravers at Rome followed established stylistic conventions characterized by compact imperial portraits, balanced lettering, and dynamic figure poses. Production of antoniniani under Elagabalus adhered to weight distributions that generally centered between 4.8 and 5.3 grams, though standard deviations across extant museum holdings demonstrate considerable fluctuation resulting from al marco striking techniques. Die alignment was predominantly adjusted along a vertical axis (twelve o'clock or six o'clock), standard for the centralized Rome mint. The flans were cast as silver-copper blanks and subsequently blanched using acidic baths to remove surface copper oxides, creating a microscopic silver-rich layer that gave newly minted coins an appearance of higher fineness than their core composition possessed.

Obverse Iconography and Imperial Representation

The obverse of RIC IV Elagabalus 122f presents an imperial portrait of Elagabalus facing right. In accordance with the distinctive typology of the denomination, the emperor wears a solar radiate crown, symbolizing divine authority and solar association while visually distinguishing the double denarius from the single laureate denarius. The bust drapery and defensive cuirass identify the precise sub-variety designated by the suffix letter 'f' in the standard Roman Imperial Coinage classification system, separating it from bare-chested or solely draped bust varieties. Engravers portrayed Elagabalus with youthful features appropriate to his accession as a teenager. The portrait exhibits the soft facial modeling, short cropped hair, and rounded jawline typical of his earliest Rome mint issues. The imperial mantle is fastened at the shoulder, draped over a molded military cuirass, synthesizing civic dignity with imperial supreme command.

Reverse Iconography of Mars Victor

The reverse iconography of RIC IV Elagabalus 122f is dedicated to Mars Victor, the personification of the Roman god of war as the bringer of victory. Mars is shown actively advancing toward the right in a striding posture. He wears a crest-bearing helmet and is otherwise nude except for a chlamys, or military cloak, which flutters dynamically behind him, conveying energetic movement. In his right hand, the deity carries a transverse spear pointed forward in an offensive stance, while his left hand supports a military trophy rested across his left shoulder. The trophy comprises captured armor, shields, and weapons mounted on a wooden frame, an emblematic display of triumph over hostile forces. This vigorous iconographic program belonged to a time-honored repertoire of imperial coin types, projecting military competence and the promise of martial success, vital themes for an administration striving to secure the loyalty of the praetorian cohorts and provincial legions.

Inscriptions and Epigraphic Analysis

The obverse inscription reads IMP CAES M AVR ANTONINVS AVG, transcribed as Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus. This extensive titulature directly inherited the official nomenclature of Caracalla and Marcus Aurelius, deliberately asserting dynastic lineage from the Antonine and Severan emperors. The formulation omits specific iteration numbers for tribunician power, consulships, or imperial acclamations, an epigraphic practice typical of early, non-dated general issues produced at Rome. The reverse inscription is the simple nominative dedication MARS VICTOR. Set in the nominative case, the legend labels the deity depicted in the field, explicitly attributing the concept of victory to divine intervention and martial strength. The lettering is rendered in regular, well-proportioned Roman capitals, set evenly along the circular border of dots without supplemental officina marks or control letters, as the Rome mint did not employ explicit mintmarks on silver issues during this phase.

Typology and Chronological Placement

Within the typology established by Harold Mattingly and Edward A. Sydenham in Roman Imperial Coinage, volume IV, part II, number 122 encompasses several portrait bust treatments sharing the same reverse design and legends. Suffix 'f' specifically isolates the radiate, draped, and cuirassed right-facing bust. Sibling variants under RIC 122 include cuirassed-only busts and draped-only busts, reflecting contemporaneous workshop flexibility in die cutting. While OCRE provides a comprehensive nominal date span matching the complete reign of Elagabalus from 218 to 222 AD, hoard analyses and internal die studies narrow the actual striking period for RIC 122f. Because antoninianus production at the Rome mint was suspended by late 219 AD, this type belongs to the introductory phase of the reign, spanning mid-218 to late 219 AD. The resumption of the radiate denomination occurred only under Balbinus and Pupienus in 238 AD, confirming that radiates bearing the name Antoninus without eastern mint characteristics originate strictly from this early Severan window.

Circulation, Hoard Evidence, and Survival

Antoniniani of Elagabalus circulated within the dual-denomination silver currency framework alongside earlier Severan denarii and Caracalla's radiates. Hoard data from across the northwestern provinces, the Danubian frontier, and Italy demonstrate that antoniniani issued under Elagabalus were struck in substantially smaller quantities than his contemporary denarii. Consequently, specimens of RIC 122f appear in modest numbers within third-century savings hoards. As Gresham's Law took effect in subsequent decades, these early radiate pieces, containing roughly two grams of fine silver per coin, were gradually hoarded or selectively melted down when the radiate denomination returned in 238 AD under drastically lower intrinsic standards. Many surviving specimens exhibit moderate to heavy wear from extended circulation through the middle of the third century AD, while high-grade examples typically derive from early deposits concealed before the severe debasements of Decius, Trebonianus Gallus, and Valerian.

References

1. From Gordian III to the Gallic Empire: The Silver Coinage of the Central Empire, AD 238-274. pp. 1-22
2. The Metallurgy of Roman Silver Coinage: From the Reform of Nero to the Reform of Trajan Decius. pp. 581-589
3. Coinage in the Roman Economy, 300 B.C. to A.D. 700. pp. 125-132
4. Coining Images of Power: Patterns in the Representation of Roman Emperors on Imperial Coinage, A.D. 193-284. pp. 215-228
5. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC IV Elagabalus 122f. ric.4.el.122f
6. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. IV, Part II: Macrinus to Pupienus. p. 39, no. 122f