RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1638 Bronze Sestertius

Monetary Context and Denominational Function

During the mid-second century AD, the monetary system of the High Roman Empire operated on a tri-metallic hierarchy stabilized since the Augustan reforms. Within this structure, the sestertius functioned as the principal large-module base-metal coin, valued at one-fourth of a silver denarius or four copper asses. Struck from orichalcum, a golden-hued brass alloy combining copper and zinc, the sestertius served as both a practical workhorse for everyday commercial transactions and the premier vehicle for imperial visual propaganda. Its substantial surface area allowed die engravers to execute detailed portraiture and intricate allegorical scenes that could be read easily by the public across the provinces. In the reign of Marcus Aurelius (AD 161 to 180), bronze coinage remained crucial for domestic state expenditures, local commerce, and the distribution of imperial largesse. Issues struck in the name of Empress Faustina the Younger occupied a major position in this currency pool. Marcus Aurelius and his co-emperor Lucius Verus inherited a period of institutional stability from Antoninus Pius, but the sudden demands of the Parthian and Marcomannic conflicts, combined with the devastating Antonine Plague, heightened the political urgency of projecting dynastic permanence. Large brass issues featuring the empress alongside fertility personifications served to reassure citizens and soldiers alike that the ruling house possessed natural heirs to secure future peace.

Production Technology and Minting Operations

The entire regular emission of RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1638 was produced by the imperial mint at Rome, the primary facility responsible for supplying aes denominations throughout the western provinces and the central Mediterranean. Sestertius production during this era required cast flans of orichalcum, which were prepared using open or bivalve mould assemblies before being struck between engraved iron or bronze dies. The high zinc content of fresh orichalcum provided a distinct golden appearance that visually set the sestertius apart from pure copper denominations like the as. Striking large sestertii demanded substantial kinetic force, delivered via manual sledgehammers onto upper reverse dies while the lower obverse dies were anchored into heavy anvils. As a consequence of manual striking, individual specimens of this catalogue type exhibit expected numismatic variations, including minor flan irregularities, die axis shifts (frequently aligned close to 12 o'clock or 6 o'clock in typical imperial fashion), and variable flan thickness. The mass of standard Antonine sestertii typically hovered in the broad range of 22 to 28 grams, with diameters around 30 to 33 millimeters, though natural metallurgical variations and wear inevitably produce surviving weights both above and below these benchmark averages.

Obverse Iconography and Coiffure Typology

The obverse of RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1638 features a right-facing, draped bust of Faustina the Younger. Imperial female portraiture under the Antonines is notable for its intricate documentation of evolving court hairstyles, which were widely adopted by Roman women across the empire. On this specific type, the empress wears her hair elaborately waved in vertical or near-vertical ridges across the cranium, pulled back into a compact, low chignon situated at the nape of the neck. Distinctive soft curls rest along the cheek and temple, framing her profile. The drapery covers her shoulders and bosom in elegant, classical folds, emphasizing matronly modesty combined with aristocratic grandeur. Engravers at the Rome mint captured Faustina's features with classical dignity, presenting a smooth facial profile, prominent jawline, and serene gaze. The obverse portrait purposefully portrays the empress in her mature years as Augusta, balancing personal likeness with idealized majesty to serve as the divine matriarch of the Antonine dynasty.

Reverse Iconography and the Fecunditas Motif

The reverse composition presents the allegorical personification of Fecunditas, standing draped and turned toward the right. In her right hand, she holds a tall vertical sceptre, a traditional attribute signifying sovereign majesty and divine protection. Cradled gently in her bent left arm is an infant, symbolizing childbearing, maternal care, and the continuation of the imperial bloodline. The figure is draped in a flowing stola and palla that fall in rhythmic folds around her limbs. The personification of Fecunditas held immense political weight under Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. Faustina gave birth to at least thirteen children during her marriage, an exceptional record celebrated repeatedly on imperial coinage. The image of the empress-goddess nurturing royal progeny addressed a core Roman civic concern: avoiding succession crises and civil war through the presence of legitimate male and female heirs. The inclusion of the infant in this specific reverse composition may reference the birth of twin sons Commodus and Antoninus in AD 161, or more generally affirm the fertile abundance granted by the gods to the ruling house.

Epigraphy and Legends

The epigraphic program of RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1638 is characterized by clarity, concision, and classical lettering. The obverse legend reads FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, encircling the portrait starting from the lower left and continuing over the head to the right. Unlike earlier issues struck under her father Antoninus Pius where she was titled FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL (Faustina Augusta, daughter of Antoninus Augustus Pius), the simplified formula FAVSTINA AVGVSTA reflects her status as senior empress consort following Marcus Aurelius's accession in AD 161. The reverse bears the legend FECVNDITAS, inscribed around the upper border. In the lower field, flanking the standing figure, are the letters S and C, abbreviating Senatus Consulto ('by decree of the Senate'). This formula was standard on imperial base-metal denominations struck at Rome, affirming constitutional consensus between the Princeps and the Roman Senate in authorising bronze token currency. The lettering is rendered in regular Roman square capitals, with letter cutters adapting spacing to accommodate the height of the sceptre and the head of the infant.

Typology and Chronological Classification

In the standard classification established by Harold Mattingly and Edward A. Sydenham in The Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC III), type 1638 is placed among the bronze issues struck for Faustina the Younger during the reign of Marcus Aurelius. Because Faustina's obverse legend remained static as FAVSTINA AVGVSTA throughout her husband's reign until her death in the winter of AD 175/176, chronological precision relies on hairstyle typologies and hoard evidence. Klaus Fittschen's masterwork on Antonine portraiture categorizes Faustina's hairstyles into sequential types; the waved style with a low chignon displayed on RIC 1638 corresponds to her mature court styles of the 160s and early 170s AD. Numismatists distinguish RIC 1638 from closely related variants, such as RIC 1639 (which portrays Fecunditas holding a child on each arm, or standing facing with two children), RIC 1634 (where Fecunditas stands left), and issues where the goddess is depicted seated. The catalogue type RIC 1638 is strictly defined by Fecunditas standing right with a sceptre in her right hand and a single infant in her left arm, paired with the draped bust right bearing the low-chignon waved hairstyle.

Circulation, Hoarding, and Archaeological Context

Sestertii of Faustina the Younger enjoyed wide and prolonged circulation across the Roman Empire. Archaeological excavations and hoard analyses demonstrate that second-century orichalcum sestertii remained active in commercial networks for decades after their initial striking, often circulating well into the third century AD until the severe monetary debasements of the 250s and 260s AD caused them to be melted down or hoarded for their intrinsic metal value. Specimens of RIC 1638 have been documented in site finds and coin hoards across Roman Britain, Gaul, the Rhine and Danube frontiers, and the Italian peninsula. Due to their long retention in circulation, surviving examples frequently show significant degrees of surface wear, softening of high-relief areas such as the cheek curls and infant details, and attractive chemical patination ranging from emerald green to deep brown or black. The pervasive recovery of these sestertii in military fort settlements along the northern limes confirms that imperial bronze coin served not merely urban Italian commerce, but played an indispensable role in maintaining the liquidity of imperial border economies.

References

1. Coinage and Administration in the Athenian and Roman Worlds. pp. 112-120
2. Die Bildnistypen der Faustina minor und die Fecunditas Augustae. pp. 247-258
3. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol. IV: Antoninus Pius to L. Verus. pp. 533-535
4. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1638. ric.3.m_aur.1638
5. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. III: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. pp. 345-346, no. 1638
6. Untersuchungen zur römischen Reichsprägung des zweiten Jahrhunderts. Teil III