Hadrian Silver Denarius, RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 117

Monetary Context and Denominational System

The denarius had long functioned as the foundational silver denomination of the Roman monetary economy, serving as the primary vehicle for military pay, state taxation, and daily urban commerce. By the accession of Hadrian in AD 117, the coin operated within the standardized bimetallic and trimetallic currency framework stabilized under the Flavian and Trajanic administrations. Following Trajan's debasement in roughly AD 100, which slightly adjusted the silver fineness of the denarius to approximately 80 to 85 percent purity while maintaining an average weight standard near 3.2 grams, Hadrian's early administration preserved this existing standard without immediate alterations. Denarii of AD 118 functioned seamlessly alongside residual Julio-Claudian, Flavian, and Trajanic issues that remained in active circulation. The economic stability of the early second century AD permitted an abundant production of silver coinages to finance civil administration, imperial largesse, and troop payments across the provinces. Within this framework, individual denarius types carried tailored imperial iconography that addressed both immediate political concerns and standard administrative themes.

Mint Location and Manufacturing Technique

The issue RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 117 was struck exclusively at the imperial mint in Rome. During this era, the Rome mint was organized into several officinae (workshops), which managed high-volume striking across gold, silver, and aes denominations. Production relied on traditional ancient methods of manual striking. Prepared silver planchets were cast in molds, adjusted to meet target weight groups, and heated prior to being placed between engraved bronze or iron dies. The obverse die was generally set into an anvil while the reverse die was held by hand and struck with a heavy hammer. Die axes for Rome mint denarii of this period predominantly exhibit an upright or inverted orientation (frequently 6 o'clock or 12 o'clock), reflecting disciplined production controls within the urban workshops. The physical output of this issue shared the general fabric of the early Hadrianic Rome mint: broad, fairly regular circular flans with sharp, deep die impressions, occasionally showing mild striking cracks along the perimeter due to the concussive force applied during minting.

Obverse Portraiture and Style

The obverse displays an early portrait of Hadrian, showing him facing right and wearing a laurel wreath tied with fillets that drape down the back of the neck. Hadrian's short, curled hair and neatly trimmed beard are prominently rendered. The portrait introduces Hadrian's iconic beard to imperial silver coinage, breaking decisively with the cleanshaven tradition that had predominated among Roman emperors since Augustus, save for brief periods of mourning. The bust is modeled with a bare chest, though subtle traces of drapery are usually visible on the far shoulder. This heroic treatment of the torso recalls classical Hellenistic aesthetic conventions, combining athletic physical vigor with imperial dignity. Stylistically, early portraits of AD 117 and 118 retain strong affinities with late Trajanic portrait realism, presenting a broad, firm jaw and intense expression before transitioning into the more idealized classicism that characterized the middle and later decades of Hadrian's principate.

Reverse Iconography and Symbolism

The reverse of the type features the personification Justitia, seated upon an ornate, high-backed throne and facing left. In her extended right hand, she holds a patera, a shallow libation bowl used in religious sacrifices, while in her upright left hand, she holds a long sceptre resting on the ground. This combination of attributes merges sacrificial piety with sovereign executive power, signifying that true justice rests on pious adherence to religious duty and lawful governance. The choice of Justitia in AD 118 was politically charged. Early in Hadrian's reign, the execution of four leading consular figures accused of conspiracy (Avidius Nigrinus, Cornelius Palma, Publilius Celsus, and Lusius Quietus) created severe friction between the new princeps and the Roman Senate. By striking reverse types devoted to Justitia alongside related virtues such as Pietas and Concordia, the imperial mint disseminated an explicit message that Hadrian acted strictly in accordance with justice, legal equity, and the preservation of the Roman commonwealth.

Epigraphy and Imperial Titulature

The legends on this denarius reflect the constitutional titulature assumed by Hadrian during his initial months in power. The obverse carries the unbroken inscription IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, abbreviating 'Imperator Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus'. The explicit inclusion of 'Traianus' directly asserted Hadrian's status as the legally adopted son and chosen successor of the deified Trajan, answering lingering skepticism regarding the legitimacy of his succession. The reverse legend begins in the continuous upper field with P M TR P COS II, designating Hadrian as Pontifex Maximus (chief priest), holder of Tribunicia Potestas (tribunician power), and Consul for the second time. Hadrian assumed his second consulship on January 1, AD 118, providing a precise terminus post quem for the issue. In the exergue beneath the ground line sits the personification name IVSTITIA. The lettering is rendered in crisp, classical monumental capitals typical of the Rome mint, with refined serifs and balanced spacing across the flan.

Typology and Chronological Classification

In the original classification of the Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC II) edited by Harold Mattingly and Edward A. Sydenham in 1926, Hadrian's early issues were broadly organized under wide date brackets. The revised edition, RIC II, Part 3 (second edition), authored by Richard Abdy and Peter F. Stannard, substantially refined this typology. Catalogued as Hadrian 117 in the second edition, this denarius is dated firmly to AD 118 based on the reverse consular title COS II, prior to Hadrian entering his third consulship on January 1, AD 119. It forms an integral part of an extensive thematic series struck during AD 118 that highlighted civic virtues and imperial blessings, including Concordia, Pax, Pietas, and Providentia. The specific combination of the bare-chested laureate bust with light drapery on the far shoulder and the seated Justitia holding a patera and sceptre distinguishes type 117 from closely related contemporaneous issues, such as those depicting Justitia standing, or those pairing different bust treatments with the same reverse motif.

Circulation, Hoard Evidence, and Monetary Impact

Denarii of Hadrian dated to his second consulship circulated extensively throughout the western and eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. Because silver denarii maintained an empire-wide acceptance, coins struck in Rome traveled quickly through administrative disbursement, military transfers, and Mediterranean trade routes. Hoard evidence from Britain, Gaul, the Rhine-Danube frontier, and the Levant confirms that early Hadrianic denarii circulated alongside large volumes of Trajanic silver. Although worn specimens routinely remained in active circulation for many decades, early Hadrianic types such as RIC 117 show progressive wear patterns in hoards buried during the Antonine and Severan eras, reflecting substantial economic utility over half a century or more. Unlike base metal aes issues, which often exhibited localized circulation patterns, the Rome-minted denarii of AD 118 fulfilled a universal fiscal function, simultaneously serving as everyday exchange currency and an omnipresent instrument of state communication.

References

1. Coin Hoards from Roman Britain, Volume XII. pp. 45-52
2. Money and Government in the Roman Empire. pp. 193-210
3. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Volume III: Nerva to Hadrian. Hadrian, pp. 248-255
4. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 117. ric.2_3(2).hdn.117
5. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume II, Part 3: From Hadrian to Antoninus Pius (AD 117-138) - Hadrian. Hadrian 117