Faustina Minor Bronze As, RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1714

Monetary Context and Consecration

During the mid-to-late Antonine period, Roman base-metal coinage remained structured upon the Augustan monetary system, in which the copper as served as a principal base unit for daily market transactions. Four asses constituted one sestertius, while two asses equaled one dupondius. Under Marcus Aurelius, the imperial mint at Rome issued extensive civic bronze coinages carrying senatorial authorization, denoted by the formula S C. Following the unexpected death of Empress Faustina the Younger at the military encampment of Halala in Cappadocia around late AD 175 or early AD 176, the Senate voted divine honors upon her at the emperor's request. Consecration issues were subsequently struck across all imperial metals, ranging from gold aurei to bronze asses. Type RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1714 represents the fractional copper-alloy expression of this funerary campaign, designed to permeate regular retail trade and advertise the enduring sanctity and legitimacy of the Antonine imperial house.

Production and Mint Attribution

The entire regular production of RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1714 is attributed to the imperial mint of Rome, which exercised an effective monopoly on official bronze coinage intended for Italy and the western provinces. In this era, Roman aes denominations were manufactured through the hot-striking of prepared blanks using heavy iron dies. The as was conventionally cast from unalloyed or lightly alloyed red copper, contrasting with the orichalcum (brass) preferred for sestertii and dupondii. Surviving specimens of RIC 1714 exhibit standard flan diameters generally spanning 24 to 26 millimeters, with typical weights clustering between 9.5 and 12.0 grams, although significant mass variations occurred due to Roman minting practices that prioritized standard counts of coins per Roman pound rather than individual weight precision. The dies were engraved by master artisans within the urban officinae of Rome, adhering to established portrait conventions for the Antonine court.

Obverse Design and Portraiture

The obverse of RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1714 presents the draped bust of Faustina the Younger facing right. Numismatic typologies, notably developed by Klaus Szaivert and Harold Mattingly, distinguish several chronologically evolving hairstyles across Faustina's lifetime and posthumous coinages. For this consecration issue, the portrait exhibits her late court coiffure: the hair is elaborately dressed in nearly vertical waves along the temples and skull, swept back tightly, and gathered into a heavy, braided chignon positioned low at the nape of the neck, with soft curls escaping along the cheek and neck. The drapery wraps around the shoulders with refined folds. This mature representation balances individual likeness with the idealized serenity expected of a divinized imperial matron, conveying eternal dignity without temporal imperial regalia such as diadems.

Reverse Iconography: Crescent and Seven Stars

The reverse design displays an evocative astral composition featuring a crescent moon oriented upward, accompanied by seven six- or eight-pointed stars. One star rests nestled within the inward curve of the lunar horns, while the remaining six stars are distributed harmoniously around the exterior perimeter. This celestial tableau, devoid of human or divine figures, symbolizes catasterism: the belief that the departed empress's soul was transported beyond the terrestrial realm to reside perpetually among the firmament and planetary deities. The motif carries ancient cosmic associations connected with the celestial sphere, eternity (Aeternitas), and divine protection over the Roman state. The field is split laterally by the prominent letters S and C, reaffirming that the coin was minted in accordance with a decree of the Senate.

Epigraphy and Legend Structure

The epigraphic program of RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1714 is concise, solemn, and focused entirely on divine commemoration. The obverse legend reads DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, transcribed in the nominative case. The title Diva confirms her formal consecration and elevation to divine status, while Pia honors her devotion to the gods, the state, and her husband. Notably, this legend omits references to Antoninus Pius or living dynastic titles, a standard feature of her posthumous Antonine issues. The reverse bears no descriptive textual legend, featuring only the civic abbreviation S C (Senatus Consulto) positioned in the left and right fields. This epigraphic restraint places visual emphasis directly upon the astral symbols of her ascension.

Typology and Chronological Placement

In the standard reference catalog Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC III), this type is cataloged under number 1714 within the division of posthumous issues struck under Marcus Aurelius. Its production spans from late AD 175 or early AD 176, immediately following Faustina's death, until the passing of Marcus Aurelius in March AD 180. Related variants of this celestial design occur across other denominations, including aurei, denarii, sestertii, and dupondii (the latter classified separately under RIC 1715). In numismatic literature, distinguishing the as RIC 1714 from the dupondius RIC 1715 relies primarily on flan composition (copper versus orichalcum) and weight, as both types share identical legends and designs without radiate crowns. Die studies confirm that obverse dies for RIC 1714 were occasionally shared with other posthumous reverse designs, such as Aeternitas or Consecratio altars.

Circulation and Archaeological Evidence

Posthumous bronze coinage of Faustina the Younger circulated extensively across the western and Danubian provinces of the Roman Empire, as well as throughout central and southern Italy. Because base-metal asses possessed high utility in everyday low-denomination commerce, specimens of RIC 1714 were retained in active circulation for decades, often exhibiting substantial wear in archaeological findspots. Hoard evidence and site finds from Roman military settlements along the Rhine and Danube frontiers demonstrate that Antonine copper asses continued to circulate through the Severan dynasty and into the third century AD, remaining functional currency until the widespread collapse of civic bronze supply during the mid-third-century monetary crises.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol. IV: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. pp. 653-655
2. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. III: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. p. 273, no. 1714
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1714. ric.3.m_aur.1714
4. Die Münzprägung der Kaiser Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus und Commodus (161-192). MIR 18, Moneta Imperii Romani