Commodus Bronze As, RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1598

Monetary Context and Denominational Function

The monetary system of the high Antonine Empire operated on a tri-metallic hierarchy that linked gold, silver, and copper-alloy denominations at stable official exchange rates established during the early Principate. Within this framework, the bronze or copper as represented the fundamental base denomination of daily retail commerce. Valued at one-fourth of a brass sestertius, one-half of a dupondius, and one-sixteenth of a silver denarius, the as was essential for mundane low-value transactions, including food purchases, market duties, and modest wage payments. When RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1598 was struck in AD 178, the empire was under intense fiscal strain caused by the protracted Marcomannic Wars along the Danube frontier. To finance expansive military mobilizations, imperial mint output rose across all metals. While silver denarii met the immediate logistical needs of legions and auxiliaries, base-metal aes coinages continued to be issued in substantial volumes to maintain civilian economic liquidity and convey state ideology to the urban populace.

Mint of Rome and Production Technology

All regular bronze coinage bearing the imperial portraiture of Commodus during the joint reign with his father was produced exclusively by the central mint of Rome. Operating under the administrative oversight of the imperial treasury, the mint utilized traditional manual striking techniques. Cast flans were prepared from copper or heavily leaded bronze alloys, heated to facilitate impression, and struck between hand-engraved dies. Upper dies received direct blows from heavy hammers, occasionally resulting in off-center strikes, slight die slippage, or irregular edge contours. The reverse field carries the prominent abbreviation S C, denoting Senatus Consulto. This long-standing formulaic marker commemorated the constitutional tradition wherein base-metal token coinages were authorized in nominal agreement between the Roman Senate and the Princeps, even though artistic supervision, thematic direction, and mint operations remained firmly under the emperor's direction.

Obverse Portraiture and Iconography

The obverse of RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1598 presents a right-facing portrait bust of Commodus. The young co-emperor, who was approximately seventeen years old at the time of striking in AD 178, is portrayed with youthful facial features framed by full, curled hair characteristic of the later Antonine house. He wears a laurel wreath, the time-honored symbol of imperial authority and military triumph, tied at the nape with dangling ribbon ties. His bust is draped, with fabric rendered across the shoulders and neck. This depiction reflects the deliberate dynastic program developed by Marcus Aurelius to present Commodus as a mature, fully invested colleague and designated successor. Engravers at the Rome mint captured Commodus's transition from an adolescent prince to a consecrated sovereign, aligning his portraiture with the monumental and solemn artistic style prevalent across late second-century imperial art.

Reverse Design and Sacrificial Iconography

The reverse iconography depicts Commodus as a devout magistrate and priest fulfilling public religious obligations. The emperor stands turned toward the left, clad in the traditional ceremonial toga, with the fold of the garment drawn over his head as a veil (capite velato) in accordance with ancient Roman ritual custom. In his right hand, Commodus extends a shallow libation dish (patera) over a burning tripod altar situated at his feet, pouring an offering to the gods. His left hand is lowered and rests alongside his side, gathering the drapery of his heavy toga. Flanking the central figure across the fields are the large letters S and C. The motif embodies the pietas of the young Augustus, demonstrating that the survival, victory, and prosperity of the Roman state rested upon the scrupulous maintenance of the pax deorum (peace with the gods) through lawful sacrificial offerings.

Inscriptions and Epigraphic Analysis

The obverse inscription reads L AVREL COMMODVS AVG, rendered along the outer perimeter. The legend expands to Lucius Aurelius Commodus Augustus, documenting Commodus's adoption of the supreme title Augustus following his elevation to the joint throne in AD 177. The reverse inscription is split into two complementary elements. Circling the border is the extensive titulature TR P III IMP II COS P P, which stands for Tribunicia Potestate Tertia, Imperator Secundum, Consul, Pater Patriae. This records his third annual tribunician power, second imperial acclamation, first consulship, and the title Father of the Country. In the lower reverse field or exergue appears the dedication VOTA PVBLICA (Public Vows), alongside the senatorial authorization formula S C (Senatus Consulto). Epigraphically, these neat, seriffed capital letters reflect high-standard Rome die cutting, functioning as precise chronological benchmarks while publicly broadcasting Commodus's religious and civic titles.

Types, Variants, and Chronological Placement

The chronological placement of RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1598 is exceptionally precise owing to the combination of Commodus's administrative titles. His third renewal of tribunician power (TR P III) took place between December AD 177 and December AD 178, while his assumption of the title Pater Patriae (P P) and his second imperial acclamation (IMP II) were both granted during AD 178 in connection with victories during the Second Marcomannic War. The accompanying VOTA PVBLICA reverse theme belongs to a well-attested series of votive commemorations celebrated concurrently across the gold, silver, and aes denominations struck for both Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. While the core type is securely characterized by the draped, laureate bust, minor variations across individual dies include differences in the fullness of drapery on the bust, the positioning of the ribbon ties behind the wreath, and the precise line breaks of the reverse titulature around the figure and tripod.

Circulation Patterns and Archaeological Evidence

Base-metal asses of the late second century circulated primarily in the western provinces of the Roman Empire, including Italy, the Danubian frontier provinces, Gaul, and Roman Britain, where the Romanized monetary economy relied on fractional token coins. Asses struck under Marcus Aurelius and Commodus frequently appear in archaeological excavations of urban marketplaces, legionary camps, and auxiliary forts along the Rhine and Danube lines. Due to their durable copper-alloy fabric and modest intrinsic value, asses remained in active circulation for decades, often circulating alongside older Flavian, Trajanic, and Hadrianic bronzes until extensive wear obscured their inscriptions. Finds from river deposits and stratified site layers indicate that coins of type RIC III 1598 performed practical economic service until monetary reforms and inflation in the third century AD gradually displaced the Antonine aes denominations.

References

1. Description historique des monnaies frappées sous l'Empire romain, Tome III. p. 343, no. 981
2. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1598. ric.3.m_aur.1598
3. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. III: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. p. 337, no. 1598
4. Die Münzprägung des Kaisers Commodus. Moneta Imperii Romani 18, Vienna