Hadrian Sestertius, RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 2116

Monetary Context and Denominational Role

During the High Roman Empire, the sestertius functioned as the flagship brass denomination of the imperial currency system. Valued at one quarter of a silver denarius or four copper asses, the sestertius occupied a crucial intermediate position within the monetary hierarchy. It mediated seamlessly between high-denomination gold and silver coinage and the smaller copper and bronze fractions used for minor marketplace transactions. Under Hadrian, the Roman monetary system enjoyed structural stability, backed by substantial state expenditures on administrative infrastructure, architectural revitalization, and extensive provincial integration. Struck in orichalcum, a golden-toned copper-zinc alloy known colloquially as brass, the denomination was particularly esteemed for its generous surface area and visual prestige. The wide flan afforded die-engravers ample space to execute intricate portraiture and complex allegorical tableaux, making the sestertius the primary vehicle for imperial ideological communication. In the final decade of Hadrian's principate, issues such as RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 2116 played a vital role in civic liquidity, meeting state payroll requirements and public building obligations in Italy and the western provinces while reinforcing public faith in the fortune of the regime.

Mint Organization and Production Techniques

The production of RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 2116 was concentrated entirely at the central imperial mint in Rome. By the second century AD, the Rome mint was a highly organized administrative and industrial institution, operating through multiple specialized workshops or officinae staffed by enslaved and freed imperial artisans. Striking sestertii required rigorous metallurgical and mechanical preparation. Cast blanks of orichalcum were manufactured to standard weights, typically clustering between 24 and 28 grams, with diameters averaging approximately 31 to 33 millimeters. Blanks were commonly heated prior to striking to improve the malleability of the tough zinc-bearing alloy. Die-engravers carved both obverse portrait dies and reverse allegorical dies in intaglio into tempered iron or bronze matrices. Because upper punch dies absorbed the direct force of hammer blows, they deteriorated and fractured more rapidly than lower anvil dies, creating complex die-linking networks within the workshop. The striking of sestertii in the AD 130s demonstrates exceptional technical execution, with deep relief, well-centered strikes, and carefully aligned legends that testify to the rigorous quality control maintained under the supervision of the imperial procurator monetae.

Obverse Portraiture and Style

The obverse of this issue presents an expressive and mature portrait of Hadrian, showing his head turned to the right and crowned with a laurel wreath tied at the nape of the neck with trailing ribbons. Hadrian's introduction of a full beard into standard imperial iconography broke decisively with the clean-shaven tradition established by Augustus and maintained through the Flavian and Trajanic eras. By the time this type was struck in AD 133 to 135, Hadrian had ruled for over fifteen years, and his numismatic portraiture had evolved into a refined, dignified style often described by art historians as classicizing or Hadrianic neoclassicism. The facial planes are modeled with smooth transitions, highlighting deep-set eyes, an arched brow, and finely articulated locks of hair that blend seamlessly into his curled beard. The laurel wreath rests securely upon his head, symbolizing continuous military victory and divine favor, even as the empire enjoyed widespread civil tranquility. Die variations across the issue exhibit subtle differences in the rendering of the laurel ties, the fullness of the beard, and the truncation of the neck, reflecting the distinct hands of individual master engravers active in the capital.

Reverse Iconography and Symbolism

The reverse design features Fortuna, one of the most prominent personifications in Roman state religion, standing draped and facing to the left. In her right hand she extends a patera, a shallow libation dish employed in formal sacrificial offerings, while in her left arm she supports an upright cornucopia overflowing with fruits, grain, and vegetal bounty. The juxtaposition of these two attributes encapsulates a nuanced theological message. While Fortuna is frequently depicted with a rudder or resting upon a wheel to emphasize the mutable and shifting nature of human fate, her representation here with a patera emphasizes piety, sacrificial gratitude, and the stable favor of the gods directed toward the emperor and his subjects. The cornucopia reinforces this theme by promising continued prosperity, abundance, and economic security under the Augustan peace. Flanking the lower fields of the composition are the bold letters S and C, denoting Senatus Consulto, the official decree of the Roman Senate sanctioning the issue of bronze and brass currency. This visual harmony between religious devotion, imperial benefaction, and constitutional tradition conveyed reassurance to Roman citizens across all levels of society.

Inscriptional Program and Epigraphy

The epigraphic arrangement of RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 2116 adheres to the standardized titular formulas adopted during the later years of Hadrian's administration. The obverse legend reads continuously clockwise as HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, beginning at the lower left. This terse sequence of titles records his core political identities: Hadrianus, the personal nomen; Augustus, the sacred imperial designation; Consul Tertium, noting his third consulship entered in AD 119; and Pater Patriae, Father of the Fatherland, a title Hadrian formally accepted in AD 128. The reverse circumscription is rendered as FORTVNA AVG, an abbreviation for Fortuna Augusti, denoting the personal fortune, divine protection, and guiding genius of the Augustus himself. In the lower left and right fields, the senatorial formula S C is struck prominently. The lettering is cut in classical Roman square capitals characterized by crisp serifs, proportional letterforms, and carefully calculated spacing that follows the circular contour of the flan. The omission of extended military titles reflects Hadrian's calculated shift toward civic harmony and administrative perfection late in his reign.

Typology, Dating, and Contemporary Issues

In the revised second edition of Roman Imperial Coinage Volume II, Part 3, Richard Abdy and Peter Harling date type 2116 precisely to the window of AD 133 to 135. This classification is founded upon comprehensive stylistic analysis, hoard composition, and the evolution of obverse titular structures. Hadrian's earlier bronze issues frequently included lengthy legends detailing his adoption and ancestral lineage or featured distinct reverse themes connected to his imperial voyages. By AD 130 to 135, the mint of Rome restructured its output into thematic series that celebrated imperial virtues, personified provinces, and traditional divinities. Within this framework, Fortuna Augusti represents an enduring thematic staple, yet type 2116 is distinguished specifically by the combination of an uncuirassed, draped or bare-neck laureate head facing right, the short HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P legend, and the standing Fortuna holding a patera rather than a rudder. It runs parallel to companion sestertii featuring Pax, Felicitas, and Moneta, which together formed a coordinated numismatic program commemorating the enduring fruits of good governance as Hadrian's health declined and succession arrangements approached.

Circulation Patterns and Monetary Afterlife

Following their release from the mint of Rome, sestertii of Hadrian entered an expansive and integrated commercial network that spanned the Mediterranean basin and the European frontiers. Archaeological finds from military camps along the Rhine and Danube river boundaries, as well as urban centers in Roman Britain, Gaul, Hispania, and Italy, demonstrate that sestertii circulated extensively for decades after their manufacture. Due to their high intrinsic value and robust physical size, these orichalcum pieces were frequently curated, hoarded, and retained in circulation well into the third century AD. As the alloy gradually lost its golden hue through oxidation, developing a dark brown, green, or earthen patina, the coins continued to pass by counter or by weight alongside subsequent Antonine and Severan issues. Heavy wear observed on many recovered specimens confirms prolonged commercial utility, remaining in daily circulation until the systemic monetary inflation and silver debasement of the mid-third century AD rendered large base-metal denominations economically obsolete and led to the widespread demonetization of the sestertius.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum. Vol. III: Nerva to Hadrian. Hadrian sestertii, pp. 440-520
2. The Metallurgy of Roman Coinage: From the Peace of Augustus to the Reform of Caracalla. pp. 480-510
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 2116. RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 2116
4. Untersuchungen zur romischen Reichspragung des zweiten Jahrhunderts, Teil II: Die Reichspragung zur Zeit des Hadrian. pp. 110-145