Elagabalus Silver Denarius, RIC IV Elagabalus 73d

Monetary Context and Economic Background

During the reign of Elagabalus (AD 218 to 222), the Roman monetary system operated under severe financial pressures inherited from the preceding decades of Severan rule. The silver denarius remained the primary denomination for state expenditure, civil administration, and the payment of legionary stipends. Although Caracalla had introduced the radiate double denarius (antoninianus) in AD 215, its production became irregular and diminished sharply under Elagabalus, leaving the traditional denarius as the workhorse silver coin of the empire. Economic realities dictated an ongoing reduction in metallic quality. Following the debasement trajectory initiated under Septimius Severus and accelerated under Caracalla and Macrinus, denarii struck under Elagabalus were struck from billon alloys containing approximately 40 to 45 percent silver, with the remainder composed largely of copper and trace elements. The target weight of the denomination remained roughly aligned with the reduced Severan standard, generally falling between 2.8 and 3.3 grams, yielding around 96 to 100 coins per Roman pound. The issue of RIC IV Elagabalus 73d occurred against this backdrop of fiscal strain, where maintaining the trust of the soldiers required vast coin emissions despite the declining intrinsic worth of individual pieces.

Production Technology and Mint Organization

RIC IV Elagabalus 73d was produced exclusively at the primary imperial mint in Rome. Under the early Severan dynasty, mint operations at the capital reached high levels of administrative specialization, organized into distinct officinae that managed specific pairings of obverse dies and thematic reverses. The production of silver denarii utilized cast flans that were heated before striking between hand-carved intaglio bronze or iron dies. The die axis was predominantly aligned in a vertical orientation, either upright at twelve o'clock or inverted at six o'clock, reflecting disciplined workshop standards. Although eastern mints such as Antioch had produced significant quantities of coinage for Elagabalus at the beginning of his reign while the court traveled west from Syria, type 73d exhibits the distinct stylistic hallmarks of the metropolitan die engravers of Rome. These features include clean, balanced lettering, proportional figure modeling, and careful rendering of textile drapery and armor plates. Die wear was tolerated to maximize output, resulting in specimens that vary from crisp early strikes to later impressions showing die fractures and perimeter softening.

Obverse Iconography and Epigraphy

The obverse of RIC IV Elagabalus 73d presents a portrait bust of the emperor turned to the right. The portraiture depicts him as a youthful ruler, wearing the imperial laurel wreath whose ties hang neatly behind his neck. The bust configuration is catalogued specifically as draped and cuirassed, viewed from the side or slightly from behind, showing both the folds of the paludamentum and the protective metallic plates of the cuirass. This fully armored presentation emphasizes the martial persona of the emperor, projecting authority despite his youth. The obverse legend reads IMP ANTONINVS AVG, circling clockwise along the inner border of dots. The inscription utilizes the abbreviated form of Imperator Antoninus Augustus, evoking the prestigious Antonine heritage that the Severan dynasty claimed through fictitious adoption. The style is classicizing, with straight nose profiles, softly curled hair beneath the wreath, and balanced proportions characteristic of the Rome mint during the middle of the reign.

Reverse Iconography and Symbolism

The reverse of the coin features Fides, the Roman personification of fidelity and loyalty, specifically addressed to the military establishment. Fides is depicted fully draped, standing facing with her head turned to the right. In her right hand she holds an upright military standard (signum), while her left hand supports an imperial vexillum, a square banner suspended from a crossbar atop a spear shaft. The arrangement of the personification looking right toward the standard creates a dynamic composition that balances the two distinct types of military insignia. In Roman military culture, standards and vexilla were not merely tactical markers; they were sacred objects invested with religious reverence and imperial loyalty. The representation of Fides holding both pieces of equipment reminded legionary soldiers and praetorians that their sworn oath of service bound them directly to the person of the emperor. The rendering of the drapery displays vertical cascading folds that highlight the classical tradition preserved by the Rome mint engravers.

Legendary Inscriptions and Political Messaging

The inscriptions on RIC IV Elagabalus 73d are concise, direct, and laden with ideological meaning. On the obverse, IMP ANTONINVS AVG intentionally suppresses the ruler's birth name of Varius Avitus Bassianus in favor of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. This nomenclatural choice was central to Severan dynastic legitimation, aligning Elagabalus with Caracalla, who had been immensely popular with the rank-and-file soldiers. On the reverse, the legend FIDES MILITVM translates as 'the loyalty of the soldiers' or 'faith of the military'. In the volatile atmosphere of the third-century empire, military loyalty was an absolute prerequisite for survival. Elagabalus had been raised to the purple through the revolt of the Syrian legions against Macrinus in AD 218, and his administration remained perpetually reliant upon the goodwill of the praetorian guard and the frontier garrisons. By placing FIDES MILITVM on a high-volume denarius type, the imperial administration both celebrated this essential allegiance and sought to ensure its continuance.

Typology and Chronological Classification

In the standard classification established by Harold Mattingly and Edward A. Sydenham in The Roman Imperial Coinage, volume IV, type 73 encompasses denarii carrying the reverse legend FIDES MILITVM with Fides holding a standard and a vexillum. The type is divided into sub-varieties based on the obverse bust configuration: variety 73a features a laureate head right, 73b a laureate and draped bust right, 73c a laureate and cuirassed bust right, and 73d the complete laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Because this specific type does not bear consular dates or tribunician numbers, its precise chronological placement within the broader reign of AD 218 to 222 rests on portrait development and stylistic evolution. Numismatists generally assign the undated issues with the simple legend IMP ANTONINVS AVG to the period between AD 219 and AD 222, after the imperial court had arrived in Rome. The development of facial features from early youthful depictions toward slightly fuller portraits suggests continuous production across these middle and late years of the reign.

Circulation, Hoards, and Archaeological Evidence

Silver denarii of Elagabalus, including RIC IV 73d, circulated extensively throughout the provinces of the Roman Empire, following established trade networks and military resupply routes. Hoard evidence from Britain, Gaul, Germany, and the Danube frontier demonstrates that Severan denarii remained in active circulation for several decades after Elagabalus's death. Because the intrinsic silver content of denarii struck under Elagabalus was roughly comparable to that of coins produced under Caracalla and Severus Alexander, these issues mingled freely in currency pools without being systematically hoarded out of circulation under Gresham's Law. They frequently appear in large third-century savings hoards alongside earlier Severan and subsequent Gordian or Decian issues. Wear patterns on recovered archaeological specimens range from lightly circulated pieces to heavily rubbed coins, confirming that type 73d was a regular circulation issue rather than a limited donative or presentation piece.

References

1. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC IV Elagabalus 73d. ric.4.el.73d
2. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. IV, Part II: Macrinus to Pupienus. p. 34, no. 73d
3. The Metrology of the Roman Silver Coinage, Part III: From Pertinax to Uranius Antoninus. pp. 85-92