Elagabalus Silver Denarius RIC IV Elagabalus 153

Monetary Context and Denominational Role

The reign of Elagabalus (AD 218-222) took place during a critical juncture in the evolution of third-century Roman imperial coinage. Following the monetary reforms of Septimius Severus and the brief introduction of the double denarius or radiate antoninianus under Caracalla in AD 215, the silver denarius remained the everyday workhorse of imperial payrolls, state purchases, and urban market economies. Although the antoninianus had been minted in considerable numbers between AD 215 and 219, Elagabalus temporarily ceased its regular production at Rome around AD 219, returning the standard denarius to preeminence as the primary silver denomination issued by the metropolitan mint. Under Elagabalus, the silver content of the denarius continued the general trajectory established under Caracalla and Macrinus. Chemical and metallurgical assays of Severan silver indicate that denarii struck at Rome during this period typically possessed an average silver fineness ranging between forty and forty-six percent, balanced with copper and minor trace elements. The typical weight target remained near 3.0 to 3.2 grams, reflecting the standard of forty-eight coins to the Roman pound that had characterized the later Severan issues. Denarii bearing the reverse legend VICTOR ANTONINI AVG functioned as key instruments of cash distribution, specifically targeted at paying legionary donatives and cementing the loyalty of troops who had elevated the young ruler.

Mint Operation and Production Technology

RIC IV Elagabalus 153 was struck at the primary imperial mint located in Rome. During the Severan dynasty, the Rome mint operated with an organized system of officinae, or workshops, capable of high-volume die production and consistent execution. The production process involved casting blank flans from alloyed silver ingots, heating them, and striking them manually between engraved bronze or iron dies. Die alignment at the Rome mint in this period was generally set near twelve o'clock or six o'clock, though slight rotational drift is frequently observed on surviving specimens due to manual handling during the striking process. The dies for this issue demonstrate the classic metropolitan style of early Severan engraving: fine facial modeling, delicate hair locks, and crisp letterforms cut directly into the die faces. Blanks were frequently prepared by casting in strip molds, leading to occasional irregular edges and slight flan cracks along the perimeter where the pressure of the hammer strike forced the metal outwards. Production numbers for Rome denarii under Elagabalus were substantial, as required to sustain state military expenditure and imperial administrative operations across the empire.

Obverse Iconography and Imperial Portraiture

The obverse of RIC IV Elagabalus 153 features the right-facing bust of Elagabalus, draped and wearing the imperial laurel wreath. The portrait captures the features of the young emperor as represented in the initial artistic phases of the Rome mint. The rendering exhibits the smooth, youthful cheeks and relatively small facial profile characteristic of the ruler at his accession, combined with the traditional Severan court hairstyle consisting of tight, layered curls framing the forehead and nape of the neck. The laurel wreath rests securely around the head, tied at the occiput with two ribbons trailing downward toward the drapery. The drapery is arranged across the shoulders and gathered at the chest, a standard conventions for imperial bust types designed to project military dignity and civilian decorum. Engravers at Rome took care to emphasize continuity with Caracalla, whose biological paternity Elagabalus claimed in order to justify his dynastic elevation. Minor variations in the rendering of the drapery folds or ribbon terminations exist across individual dies, reflecting the work of distinct workshop engravers rather than distinct substantive typological classes.

Reverse Iconography and Symbolism

The reverse iconography of RIC IV Elagabalus 153 presents the goddess Victory (Victoria), personified as a winged female figure draped in a long stola, advancing purposefully toward the right. In her outstretched right hand, she extends a circular laurel wreath, the timeless classical symbol of triumph and martial accomplishment. In her left hand, she holds a palm branch, resting sloped over her left shoulder, signifying peace won through victorious conquest. Her drapery billows backward behind her legs, accentuating forward movement and divine dynamism. Victory imagery had been a foundational cornerstone of imperial legitimacy since the establishment of the Principate under Augustus, but on this issue, it served a deeply specific political purpose. Rather than commemorating an external foreign conquest over barbarian foes, the motif celebrated the overthrow of the equestrian usurper Macrinus in AD 218 and the triumph of the restored Severan faction. By depicting Victory advancing in rapid stride, the Rome mint broadcast the prompt consolidation of imperial power and divine favor resting upon the young emperor.

Inscriptions and Epigraphic Analysis

The obverse legend reads IMP CAES ANTONINVS AVG, fully spelled as Imperator Caesar Antoninus Augustus. This formula is notable for its brevity and direct dynastic association. By eschewing prolonged lists of consular or tribunician honors, the legend foregrounds the core imperial triumvirate of titles: Imperator, Caesar, and Augustus, anchored around the pivotal name Antoninus. The adoption of Antoninus directly invoked Caracalla (officially Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus) and the venerable Antonine dynasty, deliberately obscuring the Syrian origin of the young ruler and reinforcing his claim as Caracalla's legitimate son and successor. On the reverse, the inscription reads VICTOR ANTONINI AVG, translating grammatically to 'The Victory of Antoninus Augustus' or 'Antoninus Augustus, Victorious'. This phrasing deviates slightly from the ubiquitous Victoria Augusti formulas common to earlier reigns, employing the specific personal genitive or adjectival construction to tie the abstract divine concept of military triumph directly to the person of Antoninus. The lettering on both faces is rendered in standard Roman capitals, with well-formed serifs, uniform vertical strokes, and clean radial arrangement around the circular die field.

Typology, Dating, and Chronological Placement

In the standard reference work Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume IV, Part II, this type is catalogued under number 153 and assigned a general reign bracket of AD 218 to 222. However, chronological refinement based on obverse titulature and portrait development indicates that RIC IV 153 belongs primarily to the opening phase of Elagabalus's rule. The simple obverse title IMP CAES ANTONINVS AVG was utilized at Rome upon the reopening of issues for the new emperor following the defeat of Macrinus at Antioch in June AD 218, continuing into AD 219 before being gradually superseded by longer formulas incorporating pontifical, tribunician, and consular notations, such as IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG. Moreover, the reverse theme of VICTOR ANTONINI AVG closely mirrors the immediate victory won over Macrinus by the eastern legions and the subsequent pacification of opposition. While earlier numismatic literature grouped undated types across the full five-year reign, modern corpus arrangements place this specific pairing among the accession issues of AD 218 to mid-219, minted shortly before or around the emperor's official arrival in Rome during the summer of AD 219.

Hoard Evidence and Circulation Life

Denarii of Elagabalus, including the VICTOR ANTONINI AVG type, enjoyed widespread circulation throughout the western and eastern provinces of the empire. Hoard data from Roman Britain, Gaul, the German frontier, and the Danubian provinces indicate that Severan denarii circulated alongside earlier issues of the Antonine emperors, Septimius Severus, and Caracalla. Due to their consistent debasement compared to pre-Severan silver, denarii of Elagabalus tended to stay in active circulation until the massive monetary inflations of the mid-third century AD. In British and European hoards deposited during the reigns of Severus Alexander, Gordian III, and the Decii, coins of RIC IV 153 are regularly represented in moderate quantities. They ceased to circulate effectively after the joint reigns of Valerian and Gallienus in the AD 250s, when the catastrophic debasement and proliferation of the radiate antoninianus led to the extensive melting down, hoarding, or demonetization of older denarii. Wear patterns observed in hoard contexts indicate that many specimens remained in active commercial use for twenty to thirty years following their initial emission.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol. V: Pertinax to Elagabalus. pp. 535-538
2. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC IV Elagabalus 153. ric.4.el.153
3. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. IV, Part II: Macrinus to Pupienus. p. 39, no. 153