Hadrian Sestertius, RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 244

Monetary Context and Denominational Role

During the High Roman Empire, the monetary system operated on a bimetallic and trimetallic balance anchored by the gold aureus and silver denarius, supported for daily transactions by a comprehensive suite of base-metal denominations. Within this hierarchy, the sestertius served as the flagship brass denomination, valued at four bronze asses, two orichalcum dupondii, or one quarter of a silver denarius. Orichalcum, an alloy composed primarily of copper and zinc, possessed a brilliant golden sheen when fresh from the dies, differentiating it clearly from the pure red copper used for asses and quadrantes. In terms of purchasing power, a single sestertius represented substantial value for civilian and military consumers in the early second century AD, sufficient to purchase several days of basic food rations, measures of wine, or basic services. Because sestertii offered the largest physical flan of any regularly minted imperial coin, averaging between 31 and 35 millimeters in diameter with typical target weights ranging from roughly 24 to 28 grams, they functioned as the empire's primary visual medium for ideological communication. Under Hadrian, the denomination was produced in massive quantities to sustain municipal cash flow, tax remissions, military payments, and civic building programs across Rome and Italy.

Production, Technology, and Mint Organization

This sestertius issue was produced exclusively by the imperial mint at Rome, the sole centrally authorized facility striking regular brass and bronze coinage for the western empire during the early principate. The mint utilized sophisticated manual striking techniques to handle the large volumes of orichalcum required for sestertius production. Cast alloy ingots were formulated with a controlled proportion of calamine zinc ore and copper, then poured into moulds or flattened into sheets from which circular flans were cut and hot-hammered to achieve the necessary thickness and diameter. Engravers at the Rome mint worked with hardened iron or bronze dies, carving the intricate obverse portraiture and reverse allegorical compositions in intaglio. The blank flans were heated to increase ductility before being placed between the lower stationary anvil die and the upper mobile hammer die. Striking required powerful, synchronized blows by mint workers, often resulting in slight flan irregularities, die fissures, or localized striking weakness around high-relief elements such as the hair curls and the drapery folds. The axis of die alignment for Hadrianic sestertii at Rome was predominantly adjusted to six o'clock, reflecting a high standard of mechanical supervision within the officinae.

Obverse Typology and Imperial Iconography

The obverse of RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 244 presents a dynamic portrait of Hadrian facing right. He is depicted wearing a laurel wreath, the classical symbol of triumph and civil authority, tied at the back of the head with ribbons falling down his neck. The portrait features a bare chest, though detailed examination of well-preserved specimens reveals traces of fine drapery gathered on the far left shoulder, a subtle stylistic flourish characteristic of master engravers active at Rome in the early AD 120s. Hadrian is rendered with his distinctive full beard and carefully curled hairstyle, marking a definitive departure from the clean-shaven tradition observed by Roman emperors since Augustus, with the brief exception of Nero's youthful beard. In contemporary visual culture, Hadrian's beard signaled his embrace of Hellenic philosophical ideals, military discipline, and individual aesthetic maturity. The facial modeling emphasizes a determined jaw, a prominent brow, and alert eyes, conveying energetic vigilance at the onset of his independent administrative initiatives across the Mediterranean.

Reverse Typology and Personification of Felicitas

The reverse composition features Felicitas, the personification of fruitful happiness, good fortune, and state prosperity, standing facing left in a relaxed, classical contrapposto posture. She is dressed in a long, flowing stola and draped palla that cascades down her limbs in delicate folds. In her right hand, she holds an upright caduceus, the winged, serpent-entwined wand of Mercury representing peaceful commerce, diplomatic concord, and orderly governance. In her left arm, she cradles an overflowing cornucopia, the traditional horn of plenty laden with agricultural produce, symbolizing material abundance and the economic fertility guaranteed by the Princeps. In the horizontal field, flanking the lower portion of her figure, are the large letters S and C, denoting Senatus Consulto. This legend confirms that the base-metal issue was struck under the formal constitutional authority of the Roman Senate, an enduring legal formality maintained throughout the Principate to underscore harmony between the emperor and the senatorial order. The iconography directly reassured the Roman public that Hadrian's reign brought divine benevolence and material stability.

Epigraphy and Titular Legends

The obverse legend reads IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRIANVS AVG, encircling the portrait clockwise starting from the lower left. This inscription highlights Hadrian's official adoption and succession by prominently incorporating the name of Trajan alongside the military imperatorial acclamation and the honorific title of Augustus. The reverse legend is rendered as PONT MAX TR POT COS III around the upper and side circumference, complemented by S C situated within the field. This reverse text enumerates Hadrian's primary constitutional offices: Pontifex Maximus (chief priest of the Roman state religion), Tribunicia Potestas (tribunician power, granting civil sanctity and legislative veto authority), and Consul Tertium (consul for the third time). Notably, the obverse and reverse legends avoid abbreviations for the high priesthood and tribunician authority, an epigraphic characteristic that differentiates this early series from later issues where titles were compressed or relocated to accommodate shifting administrative priorities. The lettering is executed in elegant, sharp Roman square capitals with distinctive serifs, typical of the highest artistic standards of the Rome mint.

Types, Classification, and Chronological Development

In the second edition of Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC II, Part 3), Richard Abdy and Peter Harling established a revised chronological framework for Hadrian's coinage, refining the earlier pioneering catalogue of Harold Mattingly and Edward Sydenham. Under this updated arrangement, type 244 is assigned specifically to the window of AD 119 to AD 120, corresponding to Group 2 of Hadrian's bronze issues. The dating is bounded by Hadrian's assumption of his third consulship on 1 January AD 119 and the progressive simplification of his reverse titles that began around AD 121 to 123. While Hadrian struck sestertii with the personification of Felicitas across several distinct phases of his reign, RIC II, Part 3 Hadrian 244 is defined precisely by the combination of the laureate bust with traces of drapery on the far shoulder, the unshortened obverse legend naming Traianus Hadrianus, and the reverse legend PONT MAX TR POT COS III. Parallel types from the same group feature differing bust treatments, such as fully draped, cuirassed, or bare-headed variations, which modern corpuses separate under distinct catalog numbers.

Circulation Patterns, Wear, and Hoard Evidence

As high-denomination brass coins, sestertii of RIC 244 circulated over vast geographic areas for several decades after their initial release. Hoard evidence and archaeological site finds demonstrate that Hadrianic sestertii were heavily utilized in commercial markets throughout Italy, the Gauls, the Germanic frontier provinces, and Britannia. Because of the substantial intrinsic value of orichalcum and its resistance to corrosion, these coins remained in active circulation well into the third century AD, frequently found in deposits alongside Antonine and Severan bronze issues. Prolonged circulation often subjected these specimens to significant abrasive wear, resulting in softened hair details, flattened drapery lines, and the gradual smoothing of peripheral legends. Over time, exposure to diverse chemical environments in European soils produced a variety of patinas on the orichalcum fabric, ranging from deep emerald green to dark chocolate brown. Specimens surviving in exceptional states of preservation were typically deposited in domestic hoards or ritual offerings shortly after their initial striking in the early 120s.

References

1. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume II, Part 3: From Hadrian to Antoninus Pius (AD 117-138) - Hadrian. Hadrian 244
2. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Volume III: Nerva to Hadrian. Hadrian Base-Metal Issues (AD 119-121)
3. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume II: Vespasian to Hadrian. Hadrian Sestertii (First Edition)
4. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 244. RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 244