Elagabalus Silver Denarius RIC IV Elagabalus 73b

Monetary Context and the Severan Denarius

During the reign of Elagabalus from AD 218 to AD 222, the Roman monetary system continued to rely heavily on the silver denarius as the principal vehicle for military disbursements, administrative salaries, and state transactions. Although Caracalla had introduced the radiate antoninianus or double denarius in AD 215, the production of that new denomination fluctuated considerably under his successors. Under Elagabalus, the Rome mint resumed intensive striking of traditional laureate denarii, ensuring broad continuity in everyday commercial payments and army stipends across the provinces. By this period, the denarius had suffered prolonged debasement relative to early imperial benchmarks. Under Septimius Severus and Caracalla, the silver fineness of the denomination fell to approximately fifty percent or less. Analyses of Severan hoards and metallic composition indicate that the denarii of Elagabalus generally contained between forty and forty-six percent silver, with typical gross weights fluctuating between 2.8 and 3.3 grams. Despite this lower precious metal purity, the denarius remained an accepted token standard backed by the authority of the imperial administration. RIC IV Elagabalus 73b exemplifies this Severan standard, balancing reduced intrinsic silver content with the high-volume output necessary to meet recurring military obligations.

Production and Mint Organization at Rome

The issue catalogued as RIC IV Elagabalus 73b was struck exclusively at the imperial capital of Rome. While provincial issues and eastern mints such as Antioch or Emesa operated during the earliest phases of Elagabalus's accession, the central mint at Rome remained the primary engine for mass-producing standard silver currency for the Western provinces and legionary garrisons throughout his reign. At Rome, coin manufacturing was organized into multiple workshops or officinae, which shared the workload of engraving dies, casting flans, and striking coins. Die cutters working at the capital adhered to standardized stylistic conventions, rendering crisp, naturalistic facial features on the portrait dies and uniform lettering across legends. Flans were prepared by casting silver-copper alloy blanks, which were sometimes pickled in an organic acid solution to create a silver-enriched surface layer that masked the base core. Striking was performed by hand using iron dies, resulting in typical variations in flan thickness, centering, and die axis across surviving examples. Although RIC IV 73b lacks explicit officina marks, stylistic patterns in the drapery and lettering demonstrate disciplined production standards under close imperial oversight.

Obverse Iconography and Imperial Portraiture

The obverse of RIC IV Elagabalus 73b features the right-facing bust of the young emperor. He is depicted wearing a laurel wreath, an enduring symbol of imperial victory and supreme civil authority, with ribbons trailing down toward his neck. The portrait is draped, showing the folds of the paludamentum or tunic gathered neatly across the chest and shoulders. In Roman numismatic portraiture of this period, the depiction of Elagabalus evolved from youthful, idealized features closely reminiscent of Caracalla toward slightly older, individualistic representations. The deliberate visual association with Caracalla was a calculated political device: Elagabalus was promoted to the legions as Caracalla's natural son to bolster his legitimacy against the memory of Macrinus. On this variety, catalogued under subtype 73b, the presence of drapery distinguishes the bust from the bare-shouldered or cuirassed varieties within the broader RIC 73 series. Die variations within this issue exhibit subtle shifts in the fullness of the cheek, the prominence of the nose, and the arrangement of the wreath ties, reflecting the personal hands of different Rome mint engravers.

Reverse Iconography of Fides Militum

The reverse of the coin is devoted to Fides Militum, the divine personification of military loyalty and mutual fidelity between the emperor and the Roman legions. Fides is depicted fully draped, standing facing front with her head turned to the right. In her right hand, she holds an upright infantry legionary standard, adorned with metallic phalerae and topped with an open hand or spearhead motif. In her left hand, she grasps a vexillum, the square fabric banner typically flown by detached units or cavalry squadrons. The juxtaposition of the infantry signum and the cavalry vexillum represents the totality of the Roman armed forces, signaling complete devotion across all branches of the imperial army. Personifications of Fides held profound significance during the Severan period, when political survival depended entirely on the support and goodwill of the military. By turning Fides's head to the right while maintaining a frontal stance, the composition creates dynamic visual balance within the circular field of the reverse die. The detailed treatment of her garments and the precise execution of the vexillum fringe underscore the refined technical skill of the Rome mint engravers.

Inscriptions and Epigraphic Analysis

The inscriptions on RIC IV Elagabalus 73b convey explicit political and ideological messaging. The obverse legend reads IMP ANTONINVS AVG, an abbreviated Latin formula expanding to Imperator Antoninus Augustus. By adopting the imperial prenomen Imperator alongside the venerable cognomen Antoninus, Elagabalus reinforced his formal Severan identity and claim to dynastic descent. Notably absent from this short legend are explicit consulship numbers, tribunician dates, or the title Pater Patriae, resulting in an economical legend that left ample space for the portrait bust within the beaded border. The reverse inscription reads FIDES MILITVM, translating directly as 'the loyalty of the soldiers.' This legendary formula had been utilized since the civil wars of AD 68 to 69 and was frequently revived during times when emperors sought to reinforce or reward military allegiance. The epigraphy is characterized by classical Roman square capitals, with regular letter heights and neat serifs. Die cutters carefully planned the letter spacing around the standing figure of Fides and the poles of the standard and vexillum, ensuring legible communication of the regime's message of military cohesion.

Typology, Dating, and Subtype Distinction

RIC IV Elagabalus 73b belongs to a broader sequence of military-themed denarii struck at Rome across Elagabalus's reign from AD 218 to AD 222. Because the legends on this type omit tribunician years, numismatists rely on stylistic evolution, portrait development, and hoard associations to refine its chronological placement. Scholars generally place the series within the earlier to middle portion of his reign, preceding the prominent introduction of the horn motif on later portraits associated with his role as high priest of Elagabal. Within the structure of Roman Imperial Coinage, type 73 is divided into distinct subtypes based on obverse bust treatment. While RIC IV 73a features a simple laureate head with no drapery, RIC IV 73b designates the laureate and draped bust. Other related issues in the series incorporate cuirassed elements or alter the position of Fides, who on some distinct types holds two signa rather than a signum and a vexillum. Isolating RIC IV 73b as a specific catalogue entry allows scholars to trace how particular bust varieties were distributed across mint workshops and assess production frequency across hoard samples.

Circulation Patterns and Archaeological Evidence

Denarii of Elagabalus, including RIC IV 73b, entered deep circulation throughout the Roman Empire, travelling along major military roads and trade arteries. Hoard evidence from Britain, the Rhine frontier, the Danubian provinces, and the Levant demonstrates that denarii struck under Elagabalus circulated alongside earlier Severan silver, as well as older Flavian and Antonine issues that still lingered in circulation pools. Because the intrinsic silver value of Severan coinage had declined compared to second-century denarii, older higher-purity coins were progressively hoarded or melted down under Gresham's Law, leaving third-century issues to dominate active retail markets. RIC IV 73b frequently appears in third-century savings hoards deposited during the political crises of the AD 230s to 260s, reflecting several decades of continuous circulation before retirement. Wear patterns recorded on recovered specimens vary from minimal wear indicative of rapid burial to extensive rubbing, confirming that these coins were practical working currency rather than purely commemorative presentations.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Volume V: Pertinax to Elagabalus. pp. 535-538
2. Coinage in the Roman Economy, 300 B.C. to A.D. 700. pp. 125-132
3. Coining Images of Power: Patterns in the Representation of Roman Emperors on Imperial Coinage, A.D. 193-284. pp. 235-248
4. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume IV, Part II: Macrinus to Pupienus. p. 34, no. 73b
5. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC IV Elagabalus 73b. ric.4.el.73b
6. Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume II: The Accession of Nerva to the Death of Severus Alexander, AD 96-235. p. 586