Honorius Silver Siliqua

Monetary Context and Economic Function

The siliqua occupied a crucial intermediary position within the Late Roman tripartite currency system, which was anchored by the gold solidus and supported by base metal nummi. Initially introduced during the fourth-century monetary adjustments of Constantine I and formalized under his successors, the siliqua was theoretically valued at 1/24 of a solidus. By the time of Honorius's elevation in 393 AD, the silver denomination had transitioned through several weight reductions, stabilizing around a light standard struck at 216 coins to the Roman pound (libra), yielding an intended theoretical mass between 1.35 and 1.50 grams. Although gold remained the principal vehicle for high-level fiscal extractions and major state expenditure, the siliqua provided the necessary flexibility for state disbursements, administrative donatives, and military remunerations. Silver was vital in regions where day-to-day army upkeep could not rely exclusively on cumbersome gold pieces or depreciating bronze fractions. In the Western Empire under Honorius, silver production reached exceptionally high output in the late 390s and initial years of the fifth century before experiencing abrupt decline as western administrative infrastructure fractured.

Mints and Administrative Organization

Production of Honorius's silver siliquae was heavily concentrated in northern Italy and the Upper Rhine, following the strategic retreats and movements of the imperial court. The principal western mint at the start of his reign was Mediolanum (Milan), which supplied staggering quantities of siliquae signed with the mint mark MDPS in the exergue, reflecting both the city's status as imperial seat and the activity of the sacrae largitiones (imperial treasury). Following the relocation of the imperial residence to the marshes of Ravenna around 402 AD, minting equipment and master engravers were transferred, establishing Ravenna (RVPS) as the primary administrative striking center for western precious metal. Rome (RMPS) also issued substantial series, operating intermittently in response to senatorial donatives and ceremonial accessions. Gallic mints at Treveri (TRPS) and Lugdunum contributed significantly in the 390s, though barbarian invasions across the Rhine frontier in 406 AD and subsequent usurpations effectively extinguished legitimate central Roman minting in Gaul. Minor or emergency emissions are also recorded for Aquileia (AQPS) and Sirmium, while eastern mints struck siliquae for Honorius in small ceremonial volumes in the names of the co-emperors.

Obverse Iconography and Imperial Representation

The obverse of the siliqua exhibits the standardized stylistic conventions of late antique imperial portraiture. Honorius is portrayed in right-facing profile, depicted as clean-shaven with youthful features that gradually mature in later issues. He wears the imperial pearl diadem, composed of a twin band of pearls secured with a jewel or rosette above the forehead and tied at the nape of the neck with fluttering ribbons. His dress consists of the paludamentum (military cloak) fastened over the right shoulder with an elaborate round fibula, worn above an imperial cuirass. The stylistic rendering of the portrait varies markedly by mint and chronology: the Mediolanum issues are recognized for compact, neatly balanced proportions and refined lettering, whereas products of the Rome mint tend to exhibit rounder facial contours, and later Ravenna portraits display stylized, rigid, and planar profiles typical of fifth-century western dies.

Reverse Types and Imperial Imagery

The reverse repertoire of Honorius's siliqua is dominated by one preeminent design: Virtus Romanorum. This type depicts Roma personified, seated left on a cuirass or decorated throne. In her extended right hand, she supports a small Victory balancing on a globe, who extends a wreath of triumph toward the goddess; in her left hand, Roma grasps an upright or inverted spear. This design served as aggressive ideological propaganda, projecting imperial steadfastness and unconquered Roman valour at the very moment the empire confronted catastrophic Gothic, Vandal, and Suebic incursions. Secondary reverse designs appeared during specific administrative moments, including the Vrbs Roma type, which portrayed Roma similarly seated on a throne or holding a globe, and commemorative votive issues bearing votive inscriptions such as VOT / V / MVLT / X or VOT / X / MVLT / XX within an enclosing laurel wreath. Less common silver issues occasionally featured the emperor holding the labarum and a globe (Gloria Romanorum), though this type appeared far more regularly on solidi.

Inscriptions, Titulature, and Epigraphy

The legends on Honorius's siliquae adhere to the formal titulature of the Late Roman collegial empire. The obverse legend is virtually uniform across the principal mints, reading D N HONORIVS P F AVG, an abbreviation for Dominus Noster Honorius Pius Felix Augustus ('Our Lord Honorius, Pious and Fortunate Emperor'). The epigraphy features tall, slender letterforms typical of the late fourth century, occasionally separated by subtle interpuncts. On the reverse, the predominant legend reads VIRTVS ROMANORVM ('The Courage of the Romans'), while votive issues bear formulae such as VOTIS V MVLTIS X ('Vows for five years of rule, and more for ten years'). The exergue carries the essential mint attribution combined with treasury signatures: MDPS (Mediolanum Percussa or Sacra), RVPS (Ravenna), RMPS (Roma), TRPS (Treveri), or AQPS (Aquileia). The suffix PS or P S is traditionally read as pecunia signata, pustulatum (pure silver), or sacrae largitiones, verifying the legal purity and fiscal authorization of the metal.

Typology and Chronological Sequence

The typological evolution of Honorius's siliqua can be divided into three distinct phases. The first phase (393-395 AD) covers his tenure as junior Augustus alongside Theodosius I and Arcadius, during which Mediolanum, Treveri, and Rome struck siliquae bearing both votive wreaths and early Virtus Romanorum types. The second phase (395-402 AD), following the division of the empire upon Theodosius I's death, marked the peak of western siliqua production. Mediolanum issued vast series of Virtus Romanorum siliquae to finance campaigns against Alaric and the defence of northern Italy. The third phase (402-423 AD) began with the transfer of the western administrative apparatus to Ravenna. During this final era, production declined in total volume and quality: siliquae from Ravenna and Rome display reduced flan diameters, shallower relief, and increasingly varied silver fineness. The emergence of usurpations, such as those of Constantine III (407-411 AD) and Attalus (409-410 AD), fragmented official mint output and permanently destabilized imperial silver production in the western provinces.

Hoarding Patterns, Circulation, and Clipping

The circulation life of Honorius's siliquae extended well beyond the boundaries of imperial fiscal control, leaving an indelible imprint on the archaeological record of northwestern Europe. Massive deposits discovered in Britain, such as the famous Hoxne Hoard in Suffolk and the Patching Hoard in West Sussex, demonstrate that siliquae of Honorius and Arcadius formed the final significant influx of Roman precious metal into the province before the cessation of imperial administration around 410 AD. In British contexts, Honorius's siliquae are overwhelmingly characterized by intentional clipping: individuals systematically trimmed the coin perimeters using shears, removing the outer legends and exergual marks while leaving the imperial bust and Roma intact. Scholarly debate continues regarding whether this clipping was an official fiscal measure aimed at creating secondary silver bullion or an unofficial provincial response to severe bullion shortages. The presence of these trimmed siliquae in early fifth-century hoards underscores the prolonged survival of Honorius's silver currency as bullion long after the western monetary system disintegrated.

References

1. The Changing Face of the Roman Silver Coinage in the Fourth Century AD. pp. 115-130
2. The Late Roman Gold and Silver Coins from the Hoxne Treasure. pp. 39-65
3. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume X: The Divided Empire and the Fall of the Western Parts (AD 395-491). pp. 125-140, 316-335