Elagabalus Silver Denarius RIC IV Elagabalus 95d

Monetary Context and Imperial Policy

The coinage of Elagabalus (AD 218 to 222) was produced during a critical juncture in the monetary history of the High Roman Empire. Following the fiscal strains imposed by the campaigns and administrative expenses of Septimius Severus and Caracalla, the denarius remained the primary silver coin of state expenditure, army pay, and domestic commerce. Caracalla had introduced the double denarius (antoninianus) in AD 215 to alleviate bullion shortages, but under Elagabalus, the production of the traditional denarius was vigorously resumed at massive volume, while the antoninianus saw diminishing production before being temporarily suspended. By the time RIC IV Elagabalus 95d was issued, the silver purity of the imperial denarius hovered generally between 40 and 50 percent fineness, continuing the debasement trajectory begun under the earlier Severans. The coin acted essentially as a fiduciary silver piece whose official tariff exceeded its intrinsic metal value. State reliance on the denarius to disseminate political messaging and meet military obligations made regular, high-volume issues imperative, ensuring that types celebrating public happiness and regime prosperity were broadcast widely to the army and civilian population.

Production Standards and Mint Operation

RIC IV Elagabalus 95d was minted exclusively at the imperial capital of Rome. While subsidiary eastern mints, notably Antioch and Nicomedia, struck denarii during the initial stages of Elagabalus's reign as the court travelled west, the definitive stylistic and epigraphic markers of RIC 95d associate it firmly with the primary officinae of Rome. The central mint operated multiple specialized workshops that processed planchets and engraved dies according to strict bureaucratic oversight. Planchets were prepared using cast bronze-silver alloy molds and hammered while hot or slightly warm. In line with Severan denarius production, typical weights for this issue generally cluster around 2.8 to 3.2 grams, with diameters commonly spanning 18 to 20 millimeters, though natural manufacturing tolerances led to significant individual variations. Die axes at Rome during this period were commonly oriented at twelve o'clock or six o'clock, although irregular alignments occur due to manual die placement during striking.

Obverse Iconography and Imperial Portraiture

The obverse of RIC IV Elagabalus 95d presents a right-facing bust of the emperor Elagabalus wearing a laurel wreath, drapery, and a military cuirass. This specific portrait combination distinguishes subtype 95d within the larger RIC 95 classification; other sub-variants feature a simple laureate head, a laureate and draped bust, or a laureate and cuirassed bust without mantle. The drapery on 95d is typically arranged over the cuirass, visible at the shoulder and chest, highlighting the imperial blending of military command (imperator) and civil authority. The portrait captures the youthful features of the emperor, who ascended the throne as a teenager under the dynastic name Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. The facial modeling adheres to the established Severan court style developed at Rome, characterized by curled locks of hair under the wreath ties, smooth facial planes, and prominent eyes. The visual presentation deliberate echoes the early portraits of Caracalla, reinforcing the claim of direct Antonine descent fabricated by his maternal backers.

Reverse Design and Symbolic Imagery

The reverse of the coin is devoted to Laetitia, the Roman divine personification of joyous celebration and gladness, rendered in Greek as Euphrosyne or Chara. The goddess stands facing left, draped in a long stola that falls to her feet. In her extended right hand she holds a victory wreath, symbolizing triumphant joy and divine favor, while in her lowered left hand she holds a naval rudder that rests upon a terrestrial globe set on the ground. The combination of attributes carries sophisticated imperial symbolism. The wreath invokes success and festivity, while the rudder and globe signify sovereign governance and cosmic control over the fortunes of the empire. By joining these emblems, the imperial mint proclaimed that the stewardship of the Roman world under the young Antoninus brought pervasive happiness and worldly peace. This allegorical program served as domestic propaganda, designed to counterbalance political tensions and present the regime as one of divine blessing and public cheer.

Inscriptions and Epigraphic Analysis

The obverse inscription reads IMP ANTONINVS AVG, transcribed as Imperator Antoninus Augustus. This legend uses standard epigraphic abbreviations to assert Elagabalus's supreme military command (Imperator) and imperial status (Augustus), while adopting the revered dynastic name Antoninus. The absence of consular dates, tribunician counts (tribunicia potestate), or fatherly epithets (Pater Patriae) reflects a concise, continuous legend form frequently employed on undated Severan silver. The reverse inscription reads LAETITIA PVBL, an abbreviation for Laetitia Publica ('The Public Joy' or 'The Joy of the People'). The lettering is rendered in regular capital script arranged peripherally along the beaded rim. Together, the legends form an integrated ideological message: the reign of the Augustus Antoninus is the direct foundation of collective, public happiness across the Roman commonwealth.

Typological Classification and Chronological Placement

In the standard reference system of The Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC), volume IV part II, catalog number 95 encompasses denarii featuring the obverse legend IMP ANTONINVS AVG paired with the reverse LAETITIA PVBL. The entry is divided into lettered sub-types depending on the bust format: 95a for laureate head right, 95b for laureate and draped bust right, 95c for laureate and cuirassed bust right, and 95d for laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Because the issue lacks explicit tribunician numbering, precise yearly dating within the reign (AD 218 to 222) relies upon stylistic sequencing and portrait maturation. Numismatic scholarship generally assigns the undated IMP ANTONINVS AVG series to the earlier and middle portions of Elagabalus's residency in Rome, spanning roughly AD 219 through AD 221. The fully draped and cuirassed bust of subtype 95d represents a standard administrative workshop variation produced concurrently with other bust styles at the capital.

Circulation, Hoard Evidence, and Modern Preservation

Denarii of Elagabalus, including RIC 95d, circulated extensively across the Roman Empire, from Britannia and the Rhine-Danube frontier to the Levant. Because third-century silver hoards frequently contain large quantities of Severan denarii, this type appears regularly in archaeological contexts alongside issues of Septimius Severus, Caracalla, and Severus Alexander. These deposits demonstrate that despite ongoing reductions in silver fineness, earlier and later Severan denarii circulated alongside one another without widespread immediate segregation. In modern collections and market environments, RIC IV Elagabalus 95d survives in moderate quantities. While the Laetitia reverse is common across Elagabalus's coinage, the precise draped and cuirassed bust variety (95d) appears somewhat less frequently than the simpler laureate and draped portrait (95b). Preserved specimens regularly exhibit typical third-century circulation wear, minor die rust, or edge irregularities stemming from manual striking conditions.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol. V: Pertinax to Elagabalus. Elagabalus, Rome Mint
2. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC IV Elagabalus 95d. RIC IV Elagabalus 95d
3. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. IV, Part II: Macrinus to Pupienus. p. 35, no. 95d