Macrinus Dupondius RIC IV Macrinus 196e

Monetary Context and Denominational Role

During the early third century AD, the Roman imperial monetary system continued to operate under the traditional denominational structure established by Augustus, albeit modified by progressive debasement and shifting production volumes under the Severan emperors. The dupondius occupied a middle position in daily base-metal transactions, valued at two copper asses, half an orichalcum sestertius, or one-eighth of a silver denarius. Historically distinguished from the as by its composition of yellow orichalcum (brass) and the diagnostic radiate crown introduced under Nero, the dupondius served as indispensable small change for commercial exchanges in urban markets, military camps, and provincial centers. By the reign of Macrinus in 217 to 218 AD, the striking of aes denominations had diminished substantially in proportion to the imperial silver coinage. The demands of military pay, inflated cash bonuses, and the strain of prolonged campaigns led mint authorities to prioritize denarii and the newly introduced antoniniani. Nevertheless, the senatorial mint at Rome continued to issue annual batches of aes coinage, including sestertii, dupondii, and asses, to maintain market liquidity and uphold constitutional prestige. The issue catalogued as RIC IV Macrinus 196e represents this continuing commitment to base-metal production, providing fractional liquidity while asserting the legitimate authority of the equestrian emperor to the Roman populace.

Production Standards and Mint Allocation

The entire imperial base-metal series of Macrinus bearing the senatorial formula S C was struck at the capital mint of Rome. While Macrinus also operated a substantial mobile or temporary eastern mint (often localized to Antioch) to provide silver denarii and tetradrachms for his Danubian and Syrian legions, aes coinage remained an exclusive prerogative of the metropolitan workshops in Rome. Die-link studies and stylistic analyses by numismatists such as Harold Mattingly and Curtis Clay have confirmed that the dies for RIC IV Macrinus 196e were cut by the seasoned engravers of the urban Roman officinae. In terms of physical production, dupondii of this period exhibit variable technical characteristics. While early imperial dupondii were strictly alloyed as orichalcum (a copper-zinc alloy), late Antonine and Severan metallurgy frequently incorporated recycled scrap metals, resulting in mixed copper alloys with irregular amounts of tin and lead. Surviving specimens of RIC IV Macrinus 196e typically demonstrate flan diameters ranging between 24 and 27 millimeters, with weights clustering generally between 10.5 and 13.5 grams. Production utilized heated flans pressed between hand-carved intaglio dies, with die axis alignment commonly adhering to an upright or inverted orientation (approximately 12 o'clock or 6 o'clock).

Obverse Iconography and Imperial Portraiture

The obverse of RIC IV Macrinus 196e presents a right-facing, radiate bust of Emperor Macrinus adorned with a military cuirass. The radiate crown, featuring prominent pointed spikes radiating outward from the emperor's head, was the standard iconographic convention indicating a double unit, differentiating the dupondius from the laureate-headed as. Within Roman religious symbolism, the radiate crown evoked Sol, the sun god, associating the princeps with radiant celestial light and eternal vigor. Macrinus is depicted with a mature, bearded countenance characteristic of his official imperial portraits. Early in his reign, engravers at Rome had not yet seen the new emperor in person, relying instead on official imperial prototypes sent from the East or adapting the existing stylistic models of Caracalla. As his reign progressed through late 217 and early 218 AD, portraiture evolved into two distinct styles: a shorter-bearded first portrait type reflecting initial metropolitan assumptions, and a longer-bearded second portrait type corresponding to accurate physiognomic reports from Syria. The cuirassed bust emphasis underlines his position as supreme military commander (imperator), displaying decorative plate armor over the shoulders and chest.

Reverse Iconography and Theological Messaging

The reverse of RIC IV Macrinus 196e illustrates the Roman personification Providentia, standing draped and turned slightly toward the left. In her right hand, she extends a slender wand (baculum) pointing downward toward a terrestrial globe resting on the ground at her feet. In her left arm, she cradles a cornucopiae laden with fruits and grains. Flanking her figure in the left and right fields are the large letters S and C, denoting Senatus Consulto (by decree of the Senate). This composition conveyed a multifaceted theological and political message. The globe symbolized the vast territorial expanse of the Roman world, while the wand represented imperial governance, wisdom, and active direction. By directing the wand over the globe, Providentia signified that the welfare of the cosmos was guided by divine foresight. Concurrently, the cornucopiae symbolized the abundant material prosperity and security flowing from proper celestial oversight. In the context of 217 AD, following the sudden assassination of Caracalla and the irregular accession of an equestrian praetorian prefect, this image reassured the Senate and the Roman people that the succession was preordained and watched over by the gods.

Inscriptions and Epigraphic Formulas

The obverse legend of RIC IV Macrinus 196e reads IMP CAES M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG. This full imperial titulature expands to Imperator Caesar Marcus Opellius Severus Macrinus Augustus. The prefix Imperator Caesar establishes his supreme imperium and continuity with the imperial line. In an effort to legitimize his usurpation and tie himself symbolically to the revered Severan dynasty, Macrinus assumed the cognomen Severus upon taking power. The closing title Augustus signals his complete investiture with constitutional imperial powers. The reverse inscription reads PROVIDENTIA DEORVM, which translates to 'The Foresight of the Gods.' Unlike legends that celebrate Providentia Augusti (the emperor's own personal foresight), Providentia Deorum attributed the preservation of the state directly to the divine pantheon. This distinction was critical for Macrinus, who lacked hereditary claims to the purple and needed to present his elevation as an act of divine will. At the base or across the field, the senatorial formula S C explicitly marked the coin as an official senatorial bronze emission of the Roman capital.

Typology and Chronological Classification

Within the Roman Imperial Coinage typology, number 196 encompasses the dupondius issues featuring Providentia Deorum, subdivided by bust drapery and armor variants. Subtype 196e is defined specifically by the radiate and cuirassed bust without additional drapery. Parallel variants include radiate and draped busts (RIC IV 196c) or combinations of drapery over cuirass (RIC IV 196d), illustrating the minor variations produced across different working workshops within the Rome mint. Chronologically, this type was struck during Macrinus's sole reign, which lasted from April 11, 217 AD until his defeat and death in June 218 AD. Because the legends on RIC IV 196e omit specific tribunician iterations (such as TR P or TR P II) and consular designations (COS), the issue cannot be fixed to an exact month through titulature alone. However, numismatic analysis of die links, portrait evolution, and hoard context suggests that the Providentia Deorum aes series commenced in the second half of 217 AD as part of the initial substantive broadcast of senatorial bronze types, continuing in circulation alongside dated emissions through the early months of 218 AD.

Circulation Patterns and Archaeological Context

Base-metal dupondii struck at Rome under Macrinus circulated throughout the western and central provinces of the Roman Empire, including Italy, Gaul, the Rhine frontier, and the Danubian provinces. In contrast, the Greek-speaking eastern provinces primarily relied on their own civic bronze coinages (provincial coinages), meaning that Roman imperial aes circulated there in far more limited volumes. Due to the brief fourteen-month reign of Macrinus, his base-metal coinages were minted in relatively modest numbers compared to the extensive outputs of Septimius Severus or Caracalla. Consequently, specimens of RIC IV Macrinus 196e appear infrequently in archaeological site finds and stray deposits. In circulation hoards, third-century dupondii often display substantial mechanical wear, as base-metal coins remained in active commercial circulation for decades after their production, occasionally circulating alongside older Antonine bronzes well into the mid-third-century monetary crises.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol. V: Pertinax to Elagabalus. pp. 518-522
2. The Roman Coinage of Macrinus and Diadumenian, Numismatische Zeitschrift 93. pp. 21-40
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC IV Macrinus 196e. ric.4.mcs.196e
4. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. IV, Part II: Macrinus to Pupienus. p. 21, no. 196e