Macrinus Sestertius, RIC IV Macrinus 202c

Monetary Context and Historical Setting

The monetary system under Macrinus inherited severe structural strains caused by the profligate military expenditure and aggressive debasement of the Severan dynasty, particularly under Caracalla. Upon his accession following the murder of Caracalla on 8 April AD 217, Macrinus faced an acute fiscal emergency. The army demanded substantial donatives and the continuation of elevated pay scales, while the senatorial order in Rome demanded fiscal sobriety and the restoration of traditional constitutional norms. In response, Macrinus enacted targeted monetary reforms. In the silver series, he temporarily rolled back Caracalla's debasement by raising the silver fineness of the denarius back toward late Severan benchmarks and curtailing the regular production of the double denarius (antoninianus). In the base-metal denominations, the imperial administration preserved the traditional tripartite aes system consisting of the orichalcum sestertius and dupondius alongside the pure copper as. The sestertius, carrying a nominal value of one-quarter of a denarius, continued to represent the cornerstone of large-scale cash transactions in domestic commerce and the tax-collection infrastructure of Italy and the Latin-speaking provinces. Because sestertii traded at a nominal tariff well above their intrinsic metal value, maintaining civic trust in their purchasing power was critical. The issuance of RIC IV Macrinus 202c belongs to this concerted effort to signal a return to administrative normalcy. The choice of the reverse theme SECVRITAS TEMPORVM ('The Security of the Times') was directly calibrated to reassure the Roman public, the imperial bureaucracy, and the Senate that the state rested on durable foundations under the new equestrian princeps.

Production and Mint Allocation

Throughout the brief reign of Macrinus, imperial copper-alloy coinage was struck exclusively by the urban mint located at Rome. Although Macrinus remained stationed in Antioch and military encampments across the eastern provinces until his overthrow, the administrative machinery of the mint at Rome continued to operate under the purview of imperial procurators and in cooperation with the Senate. The physical production of RIC IV Macrinus 202c adhered to established Severan technological practices. Blanks were cast in individual open or two-part moulds, producing thick, circular flans that often preserve subtle bevelled edges or minor casting sprues before cold or warm striking. The alloy utilized for the sestertius was nominally orichalcum (a copper-zinc brass), though by the early third century AD, recycled scrap metal, lead additions, and declining zinc contents were increasingly common across Roman base-metal issues. Weight targets for sestertii under Macrinus generally centered in the range of 20 to 24 grams, with individual specimens fluctuating between approximately 19 and 27 grams due to loose al-marco weight regulation, where minters struck a fixed quantity of blanks from a given pound of metal rather than adjusting each flan individually. Dies were hand-engraved by seasoned craftsmen in the capital using hardened steel burins and punches. The presence of the letters S C across the reverse field reflects the long-standing legal convention attributing the authorization of base-metal coinage to a senatus consultum, underscoring the political necessity for Macrinus to cultivate the goodwill of the senatorial elite during an unprecedented equestrian reign.

Obverse Iconography and Imperial Image

The obverse of RIC IV Macrinus 202c presents a right-facing portrait bust of Macrinus that combines the laurel wreath, military drapery, and defensive cuirass. The laurel wreath (corona triumphalis) denotes imperial imperium and supreme civic authority, its ties trailing neatly down the nape of the neck. Unlike simpler bust varieties of the same issue that feature a bare neck or only drapery, the bust format of subtype 202c displays the full ceremonial and military vestments of the emperor: the cuirass (lorica) is visible beneath or alongside folds of the military mantle (paludamentum), which is fastened at the right shoulder. Macrinus is depicted with a mature physiognomy, characterized by a prominent brow, a well-defined nose, and a carefully trimmed beard and moustache. Numismatic portraiture of Macrinus at Rome evolved rapidly across three discernible stylistic phases. In the initial weeks following his accession, engravers at Rome had no live model or authorized eastern bust to consult; consequently, early dies rendered Macrinus with features strongly reminiscent of Caracalla. Soon afterward, official prototypes arrived from the East, inaugurating a transitional portrait showing a distinguished, shorter beard, followed by a final portrait style showcasing a longer, carefully parted beard reminiscent of Antonine philosopher-emperors. Subtype 202c dies predominantly reflect this authoritative second and third stylistic phases, presenting a dignified, mature ruler balancing senatorial gravity with commander-in-chief readiness.

Reverse Design and Iconographic Symbolism

The reverse of RIC IV Macrinus 202c features the personification Securitas standing draped and facing toward the left. Her posture is deliberately relaxed and composed: her right leg is crossed over or behind her left, while her left elbow rests comfortably atop a low architectural column or cippus. In her right hand, she holds a long sceptre (hasta pura) oriented vertically or leaning slightly inward. In the field to her left and right, the abbreviation S C (Senatus Consulto) is boldly set. Every element of this composition was steeped in imperial ideological vocabulary. The architectural column served as an unambiguous visual metaphor for architectural permanence, unshakeable support, and structural immobility, while the crossed legs conveyed tranquil unconcern and the absence of imminent peril. Unlike active martial personifications such as Virtus or Victoria, who project aggression and campaign victory, Securitas communicates internal equilibrium, domestic civil peace, and the restoration of institutional security. The sceptre signifies rightful governance and legitimate executive dominion. In the specific context of AD 217 and 218, following the violent end of Caracalla and amidst fragile peace negotiations with the Parthian Empire, Securitas provided a reassuring domestic message designed to quiet apprehensions of renewed civil war or military tyranny.

Inscriptions and Epigraphic Analysis

The epigraphic program of RIC IV Macrinus 202c adheres to conventional imperial conventions while communicating the newly adopted nomenclature of the princeps. The obverse legend reads IMP CAES M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG, rendered fully in uppercase Roman capitals, running clockwise from the lower left rim. The formula begins with the military praenomen Imperator (IMP), followed by CAES (Caesar), establishing his claim to dynastic legitimacy. The gentilicium and cognomen appear as M OPEL (Marcus Opellius), preserving his North African provincial family heritage. Notably, Macrinus inserted SEV (Severus) into his formal titular nomenclature to forge a nominal and ideological link with the Severan dynasty of Septimius Severus, attempting to legitimize his elevation in the eyes of legions intensely devoted to the Severan bloodline. The title culminates in MACRINVS AVG (Augustus). On the reverse, the inscription reads SECVRITAS TEMPORVM, framing the visual motif in the nominative case. Translating literally as 'The Security of the Times', this legend was part of an extensive suite of ideological slogans employed by the Rome mint, which also struck companion types proclaiming Fides Militum, Salus Publica, and Providentia Deorum. The reverse legend is completed by the letters S C placed across the central field, split by the drapery and column, validating the senatorial role in sanctioning baseline bronze currency.

Typological Classification and Chronological Placement

Within the standard classification system of Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC), volume IV, part 2, catalogue number 202 encompasses the bronze sestertii featuring the reverse SECVRITAS TEMPORVM with Securitas leaning on a column. The catalogue divides number 202 into distinct lettered sub-variants based entirely upon the arrangement of the imperial bust on the obverse. While RIC IV 202a designates the variant with a laureate head facing right, and RIC IV 202b denotes a laureate and draped bust, RIC IV 202c is reserved exclusively for the bust type that is laureate, draped, and cuirassed facing right. This typological distinction is essential for precise classification, as it documents the engraving shop's execution of differing imperial regalia. Chronologically, the issue was struck between the spring of AD 217 and the early summer of AD 218. Because Macrinus did not incorporate tribunician numbering (TR P) or consular titles into this specific reverse legend, fine dating relies on stylistic sequence, hoard associations, and portrait developments established by modern numismatists. The draped and cuirassed sestertius dies fall predominantly into the middle and later stages of Macrinus' coinage at Rome, dating from late AD 217 into early AD 218, as die engravers perfected his standardized imperial portraiture before the collapse of his regime in June AD 218.

Circulation, Hoard Evidence, and Survival

The operational lifespan of sestertii of Macrinus in everyday circulation was shaped by both the brief duration of his reign and broader third-century economic pressures. Because Macrinus ruled for only fourteen months, the total volume of base-metal coinage struck in his name was modest compared to the extensive outputs of Caracalla before him or Elagabalus immediately following. Nevertheless, RIC IV Macrinus 202c saw active circulation throughout the western provinces, including Italy, Gaul, the Rhineland, and Britain. Roman bronze coinage rarely suffered formal demonetization upon an emperor's death unless an exceptionally severe and systematically enforced damnatio memoriae occurred; even then, practical commercial needs generally allowed bronze coinages to circulate until worn smooth. Sestertii of Macrinus routinely appear in Western hoards buried during the middle and late third century AD, such as the major site finds in Britain, France, and Germany, where they circulated alongside worn Antonine, Severan, and Severus Alexander bronzes. Due to the rapid decline in the average weight and quality of the sestertius under the mid-third-century Soldier Emperors, earlier sestertii of Macrinus possessing relatively generous module and alloy quality were often hoarded or preferentially melted down. Surviving specimens today frequently exhibit moderate to heavy surface wear and distinctive dark green or brown patination typical of prolonged soil immersion in Western European find contexts.

References

1. The Chronology of the Reign of Macrinus. Numismatic Chronicle, Ser. 7, Vol. 19 (1979), pp. 21-40
2. Coinage in the Roman Economy, 300 B.C. to A.D. 700. pp. 126-135
3. Coining Images of Power: Patterns in the Representation of Roman Emperors on Coinage, A.D. 193-284. pp. 205-212
4. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Volume V: Pertinax to Elagabalus. pp. 511-513
5. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC IV Macrinus 202c. ric.4.mcs.202c
6. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume IV, Part II: Macrinus to Pupienus. pp. 20-21, no. 202c