Magnus Maximus Silver Siliqua RIC IX Mediolanum 19A

Monetary Context and Imperial Policy

The emission of RIC IX Mediolanum 19A occurred during a period of acute political and military confrontation in the late Roman Empire. Magnus Maximus, having seized power in Britain, Gaul, and Hispania following the fall of Gratian in AD 383, maintained a delicate diplomatic equilibrium with Valentinian II in Italy and Theodosius I in the East for several years. In AD 387, this uneasy arrangement collapsed when Maximus launched an invasion of northern Italy. Valentinian II abandoned his court at Mediolanum and sought refuge in the eastern provinces under the protection of Theodosius I. Maximus quickly occupied the administrative hubs of the Po Valley, establishing Mediolanum and Aquileia as forward centers for his military apparatus. In the late fourth century, the silver siliqua functioned primarily as an imperial donative and state accounting instrument rather than as a general market token. Unlike base metal nummi, siliquae were produced to disburse lump-sum bonuses to soldiers and pay administrative stipends. Maximus's sudden occupation of northern Italy necessitated immediate liquidity to consolidate the loyalty of Italian garrisons and retain his veteran Gallic troops. By striking silver siliquae at Mediolanum under his own name, Maximus asserted his legitimate membership in the imperial college while actively funding the impending war against the forces of Theodosius I.

Production and Mint Organization

The workshop that produced RIC IX Mediolanum 19A operated at Mediolanum, one of the foremost imperial mints of late antiquity. The Mediolanum mint had developed specialized capacity for striking fine precious-metal denominations during the reigns of Valentinian I and Gratian. Following Maximus's arrival, the mint personnel were mobilized to strike gold solidi and silver siliquae in parallel with the principal western mint at Treveri (Trier). The siliqua of this period was struck on an established weight standard of 1/216 of a Roman pound (libra), yielding a theoretical average weight of roughly 1.52 grams. Dies were produced by skilled engravers capable of maintaining high technical uniformity across precious metal issues. Surviving specimens of the issue exhibit silver purity well in excess of ninety percent, consistent with late Roman state regulations on refined bullion. In the exergue on the reverse, the mint signature typically reads MDPS, an abbreviation representing Mediolanum along with the abbreviation for 'pusulatum' or 'purum signatum', denoting refined, hallmarked silver struck under official imperial oversight.

Obverse Iconography and Imperial Portraiture

The obverse of RIC IX Mediolanum 19A presents a right-facing bust of Magnus Maximus, adorned with a pearl diadem, draped with a military paludamentum, and cuirassed underneath. The engraving follows the standardized portrait conventions of the late fourth century, where individual physiognomic realism was largely subordinated to stylized symbols of imperial authority and legitimate power. The pearl diadem, composed of two parallel rows of pearls secured at the back of the head with fluttering ties, served as the primary insigne of imperial majesty inaugurated by Constantine I. Maximus's portrait is rendered with a neat, close-cropped coiffure, clean-shaven cheeks, and large, wide eyes directed forward and slightly upward, conveying solemn vigilance. The drape of the paludamentum over the shoulder and the visible plate of the cuirass underscore his role as supreme military commander (imperator), a crucial visual message directed toward the field army stationed in Cisalpine Gaul.

Reverse Iconography and Symbolism

The reverse iconography of RIC IX Mediolanum 19A depicts Roma, the personification of the imperial city and Roman military resilience, seated facing upon an elaborate high-backed throne. Her head is turned to the left in profile. She holds a globe resting on the open palm of her outstretched right hand, while her left hand steadies an inverted vertical spear resting beside her seat. This specific compositional scheme, featuring Roma seated on a throne rather than a military cuirass, was standard across late fourth-century western siliquae. The globe symbolized universal dominion and cosmos-wide hegemony (orbis terrarum), while the inverted spear signified triumphant martial peace obtained through victory. By depicting Roma in a classical, statuesque manner, Maximus invoked the traditional heritage of Rome to appeal directly to the Italian senatorial aristocracy and to portray his administration as the authentic restorer of Roman order in the West.

Epigraphy and Legends

The obverse legend of RIC IX Mediolanum 19A reads D N MAG MA-XIMVS P F AVG, broken across the top of the imperial diadem between the syllables MA and XI. The formula opens with the honorific title Dominus Noster ('Our Lord'), abbreviated as D N, which was the universal prefix for late imperial rulers. This is followed by the ruler's abbreviated nomen and cognomen, Magnus Maximus, and concludes with the traditional imperial epithets P F AVG, standing for Pius Felix Augustus ('Dutiful, Fortunate, Emperor'). The reverse legend reads VIRTVS RO-MANORVM, broken across the field above the head of enthroned Roma. Translating to 'The Valor of the Romans', this motto was widely utilized on fourth-century coinage to celebrate the prowess and courage of the imperial armed forces. Below the exergual ground line sits the mint mark MDPS, identifying the mint of Mediolanum and affirming the high metallurgical purity of the silver bullion used in striking the flan.

Typology and Chronological Classification

Within the typology of Roman Imperial Coinage Volume IX, entry 19A denotes the silver siliqua struck at Mediolanum bearing the obverse legend D N MAG MA-XIMVS P F AVG and the reverse VIRTVS RO-MANORVM with Roma seated facing on a throne. It is distinguished from contemporaneous gold solidi, half-siliquae, and bronze emissions struck during the same brief Italian operation. The chronology of this type is tightly bounded between the late summer of AD 387, when Maximus arrived in northern Italy, and the late summer of AD 388, when his reign terminated. In the summer of AD 388, Theodosius I led a coordinated counter-offensive across Illyricum. Maximus was defeated at the battles of Siscia and Poetovio, retreated to Aquileia, and was captured and executed on August 28, AD 388. Consequently, RIC IX Mediolanum 19A was produced for no more than twelve to fifteen months, making it a critical chronological marker for hoard studies and archaeological sequences from the late 380s.

Circulation, Hoards, and Clipping

Siliquae produced under Magnus Maximus enjoyed substantial monetary circulation across the Western provinces, traveling through military payments and elite networks far beyond northern Italy. Significant quantities of Maximus's silver coinage circulated across Gaul, the Rhineland, and Britannia, where his memory as a regional commander remained entrenched. In British contexts, siliquae of Magnus Maximus, including those struck at Mediolanum, frequently appear in major fourth- and fifth-century silver deposits such as the Hoxne and Stanchester hoards. In fifth-century Britain, siliquae routinely suffered extensive edge-clipping, an economic phenomenon whereby the legend borders were carefully pared away to extract silver bullion while leaving the central portrait and deity recognizable. Consequently, surviving specimens of RIC IX Mediolanum 19A retrieved from northern European contexts often exhibit reduced diameters and truncated legends, whereas specimens preserved in Mediterranean hoards retain their full flan dimensions and crisp exergual mint marks.

References

1. The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate. pp. 87-102
2. Fifth-Century Silver Issues in Gaul. pp. 280-295
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC IX Mediolanum 19A. ric.9.med.19A
4. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. IX: Valentinian I to Theodosius I. p. 79, no. 19A
5. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. X: The Divided Empire and the Fall of the Western Parts, AD 395-491. pp. 1-18