Hadrian Bronze As, RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 674

Monetary Context and Denominational Role

Under the Principate, the Roman monetary system relied upon a multi-tiered bimetallic and base metal framework structured around the silver denarius. The as, struck in copper alloy, served as one of the most vital units of daily exchange. Valued at one-sixteenth of a silver denarius and one-fourth of a brass sestertius, the as was essential for quotidian transactions, minor market purchases, and daily wage labor across the empire. While high-denomination gold aurei and silver denarii addressed major imperial expenditures, military payrolls, and state revenues, base metal fractions met the immediate economic demands of local market economies, particularly within Italy and western urban centers. During the early years of Hadrian's reign, following the expansionist campaigns of Trajan, the imperial administration turned toward consolidating frontiers, strengthening municipal administration, and fostering economic equilibrium. Base metal issues of this period routinely articulated themes of societal stability, civic harmony, and restoration. The production of the as designated as RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 674 reflects this monetary posture, combining steady physical parameters with civic-focused reverse allegories that resonated with the civilian populace utilizing small change.

Production and Mint Organization

The issue catalogued as RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 674 was struck exclusively at the imperial mint of Rome. In this era, the Rome mint was the principal center for the supply of aes coinage to Italy and the vast majority of the European provinces. The mint operated under the oversight of imperial procurators and freedmen, employing a complex hierarchy of engravers (scalptores), flan preparers (flaturarii), and striking crews (signatores and suppostores). Production of copper asses involved casting circular blanks into standardized molds, adjusting them toward standard target weights, and striking them by hand between hardened iron or bronze dies. The standard theoretical weight for the as under Hadrian clustered around 10 to 12 grams, though individual surviving specimens exhibit the standard weight spread typical of ancient mechanical minting techniques. Flans were intentionally struck with substantial force to bring up the high relief of the emperor's portrait and the fine drapery of Pax on the reverse. The presence of the letters S C (Senatus Consulto) on the reverse perpetuated the traditional Augustan constitutional formula signifying production under the nominal authority or sanction of the Senate, although physical administration remained firmly under imperial direction.

Obverse Design and Portraiture

The obverse of RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 674 features a distinct, sculpted portrait of the emperor Hadrian. The design shows the bust of Hadrian facing right, wearing a laurel wreath tied at the nape of the neck with ribbon ties falling toward the shoulders. The emperor is depicted wearing military cuirass, rendered with the pteryges cropped short and the torso viewed from a front or three-quarters perspective. This specific portrait styling represents an important transitional phase in Hadrianic iconography. Unlike the clean-shaven imperial portraits that had characterized the Julio-Claudian, Flavian, and early Trajanic periods, Hadrian introduced the full philosophical beard, which rapidly became a hallmark of Antonine imperial identity. In this issue, the beard is neatly curled and closely trimmed, framing a mature, composed countenance. The rendering of the cuirass, viewed from the front, projects imperial military authority, balancing Hadrian's intellectual persona with his traditional role as supreme commander of the Roman legions.

Reverse Iconography and Symbolism

The reverse iconography of RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 674 depicts Pax, the Roman personification of peace, standing facing left. She is clothed in traditional stola and palla, with classical drapery falling gracefully about her feet. In her extended right hand, she holds an olive branch, the universal ancient symbol of pacification, reconciliation, and the cessation of conflict. In her left arm, she cradles a cornucopia overflowing with fruits, symbolizing the material abundance and agricultural fertility that peace brings to the Roman world. Pax was an exceptionally prominent figure on early Hadrianic issues. Following Hadrian's decision to withdraw Roman forces from newly conquered territories in Mesopotamia and reorganize regional frontiers along the Danube and Rhine, the administration sought to legitimize this retrenchment as the dawn of a universal, productive peace. Flanking Pax in the lower left and right fields are the letters S and C, respectively, grounding this theological and political claim within the accepted constitutional framework of the Roman state.

Epigraphy and Legend Structure

The legends on this issue adhere to the standardized epigraphic conventions of the early 120s AD, using clear, classical Roman capitals. The obverse legend reads: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG This inscription translates to: 'Imperator Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus.' It establishes Hadrian's imperial lineage, retaining the name of his adoptive father Trajan, which he used prominently during the first several years of his rule to reinforce his dynastic legitimacy before gradually simplifying his titulature on subsequent issues. The reverse legend reads: P M TR P COS III accompanied by the formula: S C in the fields. Expanding the abbreviations yields: 'Pontifex Maximus, Tribunicia Potestate, Consul Tertium; Senatus Consulto' ('Chief Priest, Holder of Tribunician Power, Consul for the Third Time; By Decree of the Senate'). This legend encapsulates the core constitutional offices of the emperor: supreme religious leadership (Pontifex Maximus), civil authority over the plebs and legislative veto power (Tribunicia Potestas), and his highest republican magistracy (Consul III).

Typology and Chronological Classification

The chronological placement of RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 674 is firmly established between AD 121 and 123. Hadrian entered his third consulship on January 1, AD 119, an office he did not renew during his lifetime. As a consequence, while the title COS III was retained on his coinage for the remainder of his reign, internal stylistic development, legend arrangements, and portrait types provide narrower dating brackets. In the revised second edition of Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC II, Part 3), Richard Abdy and Peter Pfisterer reorganised Hadrian's coinage chronologically. Issues retaining the full nomenclature 'IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG' alongside 'P M TR P COS III' belong to the period AD 119 to 123, immediately prior to the adoption of the simplified obverse legend 'HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS' in AD 124. Within this sequence, the specific portrait variety exhibiting the cuirassed bust viewed from the front with cropped pteryges is assigned to the sub-phase of AD 121 to 123. This issue is distinguished from neighboring catalog entries by this specific bust orientation and dress combination paired with the standing Pax reverse.

Circulation Patterns and Archaeological Context

As a low-denomination base metal coin, the as of this type was intended for domestic circulation throughout the empire, especially within the western provinces and the Italian peninsula. Unlike gold and silver coins, which often travelled widely through military distributions, state administrative disbursements, or cross-border trade, copper asses circulated intensively at the regional level, changing hands frequently in market towns, military vici, and urban centers. Archaeological evidence from site finds and hoards across Britain, Gaul, the Germanies, and Italy demonstrates that asses struck under Trajan and Hadrian formed the backbone of local cash pools throughout the second century AD. Because of the durable nature of copper alloys and the constant demand for fractional currency, asses of this series often remained in active circulation for decades, frequently showing significant surface wear before being lost in archaeological strata or deposited in hoards during the later Antonine or Severan periods.

References

1. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. II, Part 3: From Hadrian to Antoninus Pius (AD 117-138) - Hadrian. p. 154, no. 674
2. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol. III: Nerva to Hadrian. p. 421
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 674. ric.2_3(2).hdn.674
4. Untersuchungen zur römischen Reichsprägung des zweiten Jahrhunderts, Teil II: Die Reichsprägung zur Zeit des Hadrian. pp. 110-118