Licinius Gold Aureus, RIC VI Thessalonica 44a

Monetary and Political Context

The emission of RIC VI Thessalonica 44a falls directly into the fluid geopolitical realignment following the death of Senior Augustus Galerius in May AD 311. Upon Galerius's demise, Licinius took immediate possession of the Illyrian and Balkan territories, establishing the Hellespont and the Bosporus as his border with Maximinus Daia. In this contested political landscape, gold coinage functioned not merely as economic wealth, but as the supreme medium of ideological declaration and military allegiance. While Constantine in the West had initiated experimental reductions leading toward the solidus at 1/72 of a pound (circa 4.54 grams), Licinius maintained the conservative Tetrarchic gold standard originally instituted by Diocletian in AD 294. Under this system, aurei were struck at 60 pieces to the Roman pound, resulting in a theoretical target weight of approximately 5.45 grams. By issuing aurei of traditional weight and fineness, Licinius signaled institutional continuity and stability, addressing his primary constituency of Danubian frontier legions and high administrative dignitaries.

Production and Thessalonica Mint Operation

Thessalonica occupied an exceptional strategic position along the Via Egnatia, serving as Galerius's former imperial residence and an operational headquarters for Balkan campaigns. Under Licinius, the mint continued heavy production in bronze and episodic striking in precious metals. Unlike large-scale billon nummi, gold aurei were struck in relatively limited numbers under strict imperial supervision. Gold flans were prepared with precise weight tolerances, utilizing high-purity gold sourced from Balkan reserves and treasury bullion. Striking was performed by highly skilled celators whose die-cutting reflected the crisp, blocky realism characteristic of northern Greek and Illyrian mints of the early fourth century. The exergue regularly displays the signature SM•TS•, representing 'Sacra Moneta Thessalonicensis', which confirmed the coin's production at the imperial court workshop rather than an auxiliary municipal installation.

Obverse Iconography

The obverse of RIC VI Thessalonica 44a presents a mature portrait of Licinius, rendered as a laureate head facing right. The celator sculpted a compact, muscular neck, a closely cropped military beard rendered through fine pecking or stippling, and a strong, squared jawline. This portraiture firmly adheres to the Tetrarchic veristic tradition, conveying soldierly austerity, discipline, and uncompromising administrative authority. The laurel wreath encircling the head is tied at the nape with two hanging ribbons (lemnisci), its leaves neatly delineated. Unlike many contemporary Western portraits that began incorporating diadems or upturned heroic gazes, Licinius retained the unadorned civic-military laurel wreath, presenting himself as the legitimate colleague and successor to the Tetrarchic order.

Reverse Iconography and Symbolism

The reverse iconography is dedicated to Jupiter the Preserver, the patron divinity chosen by Diocletian for the Jovian dynasty to which Licinius adhered. Jupiter stands facing left, his weight supported on one leg, with a chlamys cloak draped over his left shoulder and falling beside his body. In his right hand, the god holds a winged thunderbolt, the supreme weapon of celestial justice, while his left hand rests upon a long vertical sceptre symbolizing sovereign rule. At his feet to the left stands an eagle, the sacred bird of Jupiter, looking back up at the deity while holding a triumphal laurel wreath in its beak. This iconography provided an overt religious counterweight to the emerging Christian leanings of Constantine and reaffirmed Licinius's personal claim to Jovian protection amidst an increasingly divided Roman world.

Epigraphy and Legend Variations

The obverse inscription reads LICINIVS AVGVSTVS, unbroken and running clockwise from the lower left. The use of the simple title Augustus without elaborate praenomina or victor titles projects supreme constitutional authority. The reverse inscription reads IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG, with documented die breaks occurring as either IOVI CONSER-VATORI AVGG or IOVI CONSERV-ATORI AVGG. The plural abbreviation AVGG (Augustorum) specifically references the shared imperial office of two reigning Augusti. In the exergue, the mintmark SM•TS• appears, with pellet punctuation separating the elements. Letterforms are characteristically clean, well-spaced, and deeply cut, demonstrating the high typographic discipline of the Thessalonica mint.

Typology and Chronological Classification

Catalogued by C. H. V. Sutherland in Roman Imperial Coinage Volume VI as Thessalonica number 44a, this issue is dated to the brief interval between May AD 311 and late AD 313. Sutherland differentiated type 44a, which features the simple laureate head of Licinius, from neighboring issues such as 44b, which display a laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust, or related parallel emissions struck in the name of Maximinus Daia or Constantine. The appearance of the plural AVGG places the emission firmly in the period when Licinius maintained nominal collegiate peace with the other Augusti. The type represents one of the final true Tetrarchic aurei struck at Thessalonica prior to the introduction of the 1/72-pound solidus standard across Licinius's dominions following the death of Maximinus Daia in AD 313.

Circulation, Hoard Context, and Survival

Due to their intrinsically high value, gold aurei of the late Tetrarchy did not circulate as everyday transactional currency. Instead, they served as donatives distributed to military commanders, diplomatic gifts, and large-scale fiscal payments. When aurei left official custody, they were frequently hoarded as bullion reserves or converted into jewelry. The survival rate of RIC VI Thessalonica 44a is extremely modest; only a small number of specimens survive today across major institutional collections and documented private holdings. Specimens discovered in Balkan and Mediterranean hoards typically show minimal wear, suggesting they were deposited shortly after distribution or held as stored wealth rather than subjected to protracted commercial handling.

References

1. The Roman Aurei: An Exhaustive Historical and Typological Catalogue of the Roman Aurei (from 44 BC to 337 AD). Vol. II, Licinius I
2. Les monnaies d'or de Dioclétien à Constantin I (284-337). Thessalonica, nos. 14-16
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC VI Thessalonica 44a. ric.6.thes.44a
4. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume VI: From Diocletian's Reform (A.D. 294) to the Death of Maximinus (A.D. 313). p. 511, no. 44a