Faustina the Younger Bronze As, RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1670

Monetary Context and Denominational Role

During the mid-to-late second century AD, the Roman imperial monetary system maintained the bimetallic and base-metal structural balance established under the Augustan reforms and modified under Nero. The copper-alloy as served as a foundational small-change denomination within this framework. Tariffed at four asses to one brass sestertius, two asses to a dupondius, and sixteen asses to a silver denarius, the as accommodated low-value retail transactions, daily market purchases, and service payments across the empire. Base-metal coinage in this era was systematically marked with the formulaic abbreviation S C (Senatus Consulto), signifying that the issue was authorized by a decree of the Senate in nominal continuity with traditional republican prerogative, even though actual fiscal policy remained firmly under imperial direction. The production of copper-alloy asses for Faustina the Younger under Marcus Aurelius provided continuous currency for urban trade while visibly reinforcing the centrality of the imperial family in everyday economic life. As economic pressures, frontier military expenditures, and the devastation of the Antonine Plague began to affect imperial finances during the 160s and 170s AD, base-metal denominations like the as retained consistent physical presence in regional circulation, acting as essential vehicles for state messaging and civic stability.

Production Standards and Mint Attribution

The entire regular series of RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1670 was produced at the single imperial mint operating in the city of Rome. The Rome mint organized base-metal manufacture across specialized workshops (officinae), which were responsible for engraving dies, melting copper alloys, casting flans, and striking denominations according to strict administrative quotas. Under the Antonines, the as was typically struck in pure copper or a red-hued copper alloy, distinguishing it visually and metallurgically from the golden-yellow orichalcum (brass) used for sestertii and dupondii. Surviving specimens of this type demonstrate an intended median weight standard fluctuating between 9.5 and 11.5 grams, with typical diameters ranging between 24 and 27 millimeters, though individual flans frequently exhibit substantial tolerance variance common to Roman minting procedures. Striking was performed by hand using iron dies, resulting in varying degrees of die alignment and flan centering. The high relief of the portrait bust required robust striking pressure, and surviving specimens frequently show die wear on the hair details, reflecting intensive production runs during the middle to later years of Marcus Aurelius's reign.

Obverse Portraiture and Style

The obverse of RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1670 presents a right-facing, draped bust of Empress Faustina the Younger. Her representation on this issue corresponds to the mature portrait styles developed after the accession of Marcus Aurelius in AD 161. The portrait is characterized by an intricate and carefully arranged coiffure: the hair is parted along the crown, crimped or waved into nearly vertical, parallel strands that sweep downward toward the nape of the neck, and bound into a heavy, braided chignon positioned low at the back of the head. Escaping curls are delicately depicted along the cheek and near the earlobe, creating an elegant, aristocratic profile that balances imperial majesty with refined personal elegance. The drapery covers her shoulders and chest in graceful, realistic folds. In contrast to her earlier portraits struck during the reign of Antoninus Pius, where simpler coiffures and adolescent features predominated, this type showcases the regal gravitas expected of a senior Augusta and mother of the designated imperial heirs, reflecting the technical virtuosity of Rome's master engravers.

Reverse Iconography of Salus

The reverse iconography of this issue centers on the personification of Salus, the Roman goddess of health, safety, and preservation. She is depicted draped in a stola and mantle, seated facing left upon a low stool or backless seat. In her extended right hand, Salus holds a patera, a shallow libation dish, from which she feeds a serpent that rises and coils upward around an altar standing before her. Her left arm rests comfortably at her side or across her lap. In Roman religious and political thought, Salus embodied not merely physical immunity from sickness but also the broader preservation and security of the commonwealth, known as Salus Publica. The serpent and altar evoked both Asclepian healing traditions and sacred ritual purity. On this coin, the depiction of Salus emphasizes the personal vitality and physical preservation of Faustina the Younger, directly reflecting the maternal and dynastic survival vital to Antonine succession. The composition conveys tranquil authority and divine protection, visual themes of heightened resonance during the recurring epidemics of the Antonine Plague that afflicted the empire during this period.

Epigraphy and Legend Structure

The epigraphy of RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1670 is notable for its clarity and concise phrasing. The obverse legend reads FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, curving clockwise along the beaded rim starting from the lower left. This concise formula was adopted after AD 161, replacing the longer ancestral legend FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL used during her father's principate. By presenting solely her imperial title, the legend asserts Faustina's independent stature as Augusta. The reverse inscription reads SALVTI AVGVSTAE, inscribed in the dative case to signify 'To the Health (or Safety) of the Augusta.' This grammatical construction formally dedicates the coin's religious motif to the empress herself, framing the sacrifice to Salus as an intercession for her personal well-being. Prominently displayed in the lower field or exergue are the letters S C, representing Senatus Consulto ('by decree of the Senate'), which legally authenticated the coin's status as official state-backed bronze tender within the Roman monetary framework.

Typology and Chronological Placement

In the standard typological structure of Roman Imperial Coinage, RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1670 is catalogued under the issues struck for Faustina the Younger by Marcus Aurelius between AD 161 and her death in AD 175 or early 176. Numismatic scholars, notably Szaivert in Moneta Imperii Romani, have analyzed the micro-chronology of Faustina's hair arrangements to sequence her vast coinage. The distinct vertical-wave hairstyle seen on this type, with its low-placed chignon and cheek curls, is typical of her later portrait groups, produced contemporaneously with the joint rule of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus through the sole rule of Marcus Aurelius. Similar iconographic compositions featuring Salus feeding a serpent were struck across multiple metals, including gold aurei, silver denarii, and brass sestertii (such as RIC III 1667 and 1668). Minor stylistic varieties exist within RIC 1670, primarily involving the precise layout of the reverse lettering, the presence or placement of the altar, and slight variations in the arrangement of the coiffure's curls, illustrating parallel output across multiple dies within the Rome mint.

Circulation, Archaeological Context, and Survival

As a regular base-metal issue of modest purchasing power, RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1670 saw extensive circulation throughout the western and central provinces of the Roman Empire, including Italy, Gaul, the Germanies, and Britain. Archaeological evidence from stratified settlement deposits, river finds, and lost site-purses indicates that Antonine bronze coinage circulated for decades after its initial striking, frequently remaining in active commercial use well into the third century AD. Due to prolonged circulation, many surviving examples display heavy, rounded surface wear, flattening of the delicate hair curls, and soft reverse details. When recovered from subterranean archaeological contexts, specimens typically exhibit green, brown, or variegated cuprous patinas conditioned by soil chemistry and corrosion processes. Well-preserved examples retaining crisp vertical strands in the chignon and complete legend lettering are comparatively uncommon, making the type an essential source for studying mid-second-century portrait engraving and public devotional art.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Volume IV: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. pp. 542-544
2. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1670. Type Record ric.3.m_aur.1670
3. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume III: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. p. 347, no. 1670
4. Die Münzprägung des Kaisers Marcus Aurelius in Wien (Moneta Imperii Romani 18). Types of Faustina the Younger, pp. 228-235