Faustina the Younger Bronze As, RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1636

Monetary Context and Denominational System

In the Antonine monetary system established by the Augustan and Flavian reforms, the as held a primary position as the standard base-metal unit of daily small-scale commerce. Valued at one-sixteenth of a silver denarius or four copper quadrantes, the denomination was struck in unalloyed copper or bronze, distinguished in both metal color and weight from the orichalcum dupondius, which was worth two asses. While sestertii and dupondii carried higher prestige and nominal buying power, the as was struck in vast numbers to satisfy localized transactions, market commerce, and military per diems. Struck under the authority of Emperor Marcus Aurelius on behalf of his wife, the Augusta Faustina the Younger, RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1636 represents a core component of this everyday currency pool. By issuing middle bronzes honoring the imperial consort, the mint emphasized the shared dignity of the imperial household while providing a widely circulating physical medium that reached all strata of Roman society. Although senatorial oversight was ceremonially preserved through the inclusion of the letters S C (Senatus Consulto), the production and fiscal distribution of these bronze issues were firmly managed by the imperial apparatus to maintain monetary liquidity and reinforce dynastic loyalty across the empire.

Mint Organization and Production Techniques

RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1636 was produced entirely at the principal imperial mint in Rome, which maintained dedicated officinae for the continuous striking of base-metal coinage alongside silver denarii and gold aurei. The manufacturing process relied on traditional Roman methods of hot striking between engraved iron or bronze dies. Bronze flans were cast individually or in open mould strings, resulting in slight variations in thickness, flan shape, and diameter, which typically ranges from 24 to 27 millimeters. The target weight standard for an Antonine as of this era centered around 10 to 12 grams, although individual flan preparation produced a wide distribution curve typical of ancient fiduciary coinage. Die engravers demonstrated high technical skill, cutting intricate relief portraits of the empress directly into the obverse die while ensuring that the detailed multi-figure composition on the reverse fit within the constricted circular field of the as. The regular alignment of dies, commonly exhibiting an upright or slightly offset reverse orientation (six or twelve o clock), reflects the organized mechanical controls maintained by the Rome mint workforce during the Antonine period.

Obverse Portraiture and Artistic Treatment

The obverse of the type bears an evocative portrait of Empress Faustina the Younger, turned to the right with drapery gathered around the neck and shoulder. Roman imperial portraiture of Faustina evolved through several distinct coiffure phases, and this issue showcases her mature imperial hairstyle: the hair is elaborately parted and waved in vertical ribbons across the cranium, descending past the ear with soft ringlets along the cheek, and gathered at the base of the skull into a low, rounded chignon. This sophisticated coiffure reflects the aristocratic court trends of the Antonine era and is treated by the engravers with exceptional plasticity and depth. The delicate rendering of the facial features captures the dignified maturity of the empress during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, balancing idealized beauty with identifiable personal characteristics. Surrounding the portrait from lower left to lower right runs the uninterrupted legend FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, engraved within a neat beaded border that frames the imperial image.

Reverse Iconography and Symbolic Program

The reverse design presents the personification of Fecunditas standing facing left, heavily draped in a long stola and palla that fall in graceful folds to the ground line. The goddess holds two newborn infants cradled in her arms while two additional young children stand at her sides, reaching upward toward her drapery. This multi-child composition represents one of the most intricate domestic allegories featured on Antonine bronze coinage. In imperial ideology, Fecunditas served as the celestial patron of maternal fruitfulness, divine blessing, and dynastic endurance. Marcus Aurelius and Faustina had at least thirteen children, including twins born in AD 161 (one of whom was the future emperor Commodus) and several daughters. The inclusion of four children in the visual program explicitly references the numerous royal offspring born to the imperial couple, offering visual proof of an abundant and secure line of succession. Flanking the lower fields of the composition, the letters S and C assert the formal confirmation of the Roman Senate, framing the goddess as the protective guarantor of Rome's dynastic peace.

Epigraphic Analysis and Legend Formulae

The legends on RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1636 are concise yet politically potent. The obverse reads FAVSTINA AVGVSTA without additional patronymic or marital qualifiers, reflecting the peak of her official status as senior Augusta. Having received the title of Augusta upon the birth of her first daughter in AD 147 under Antoninus Pius, Faustina retained this simple, authoritative titling throughout the reign of Marcus Aurelius. On the reverse, the legend FECVND AVGVSTAE abbreviates Fecunditati Augustae, framed in the dative case to signify a dedicated tribute to the fertility of the empress, or in the genitive case designating the imperial quality itself. The accompanying abbreviation S C stands for Senatus Consulto (by decree of the Senate), a traditional constitutional formula required on imperial bronze coinage since the Augustan settlement to mark the senatorial authorization of the issue. The letterforms are classic imperial capitals, neatly cut with crisp serifs, demonstrating the standardized epigraphic style executed by the central mint in Rome.

Typology, Dating, and Chronological Evolution

RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1636 forms part of a coordinated series that appeared across multiple denominations, including the gold aureus, silver denarius, and brass sestertius, all bearing identical or closely related Fecunditas imagery. The precise chronological placement within the bracket of AD 161 to AD 176 is informed by the birth of the imperial children and stylistic shifts in Faustina's hairstyle. Major numismatic studies, including those by Harold Mattingly and Wolfgang Szaivert, place the primary introduction of this specific multi-infant Fecunditas type to the early 160s AD, closely following the birth of the imperial twins Commodus and Antoninus in late AD 161. While production of the type may have continued or been reissued intermittently throughout the joint reign of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, all lifetime strikings ceased upon Faustina's sudden death at Halala in Cappadocia during the winter of AD 175 to AD 176, after which she was consecrated and commemorated under posthumous DIVA FAVSTINA legends. RIC III 1636 is distinguished from related issues by its specific denomination as an as, its unradiate portrait, and the four-child composition, separating it from variants that feature two children or different divine attributes.

Circulation Patterns and Archaeological Evidence

As middle bronze denominations, asses of Faustina the Younger circulated widely and intensely across the Roman Empire, although their archaeological distribution shows a heavy concentration in the western provinces, including Italia, Gaul, Hispania, and the Rhine-Danube military frontiers. Excavation reports and hoard evidence indicate that these copper-alloy pieces remained in active circulation for decades after their initial striking, often persisting in monetary transactions well into the third century AD until the debasement of the silver coinage disrupted traditional base-metal denominations. Because of prolonged physical circulation, surviving specimens commonly exhibit substantial friction, edge wear, and uneven patination, with high-relief details of the children and facial features frequently worn smooth. Hoard contexts confirm that RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1636 circulated seamlessly alongside earlier Antonine bronzes and contemporary issues of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, serving as vital small-change tokens for civilian markets, food purchases, and daily labor wages throughout the High Empire.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol. IV: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. Faustina II (Marcus Aurelius), Aes coinage
2. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1636. Type record ric.3.m_aur.1636
3. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. III: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. p. 345, no. 1636
4. Die Münzprägung des Kaisers Marcus Aurelius (MIR 18). Faustina II typology