Nero Copper As: RIC I (second edition) Nero 347

Monetary Reform and Denominational Context

The monetary system of the early Roman Empire underwent significant transformations under Nero, culminating in the comprehensive monetary reform traditionally dated to AD 64. For the first decade of his reign, base-metal coinage had not been minted at Rome in substantial quantities. Nero broke this long hiatus by reorganizing the Roman mint and initiating an unprecedented volume of aes production. His reform was marked not only by reductions in the precious metal standards of the aureus and denarius, but also by innovative experimentation in base-metal denominations, where both orichalcum (brass) and pure copper were utilized. In the traditional Augustan monetary system, the as was struck exclusively in red copper, while the sestertius and dupondius were manufactured from yellow orichalcum. Nero initially experimented with striking the entire base-metal denominational spectrum, including the as, semis, and quadrans, in orichalcum with explicit mark-of-value indicators. However, the mint at Rome soon adjusted its policy, returning to the production of the as in traditional copper. RIC I (second edition) Nero 347 represents this standardized copper as. Valued at one-fourth of a brass sestertius and one-sixteenth of a silver denarius, the copper as was the bedrock of everyday commerce in urban markets, providing necessary change for subsistence goods, public baths, and modest retail transactions throughout Italy and the western empire.

Production Standards and Mint Attribution

RIC I (second edition) Nero 347 was produced by the imperial mint at Rome, which operated under strict official supervision following the re-establishment of large-scale bronze production. The physical characteristics of the type conform to the refined stylistic conventions of the capital's engraving workshops in the mid-60s AD. Dies were executed with considerable plasticity, exhibiting high-relief modeling and refined anatomical detail on the imperial portrait, contrasting with the distinct engraving style of the western branch mint at Lugdunum (modern Lyon). The flans for these copper asses were cast as circular blanks before being hot-struck between hardened bronze or iron dies. The theoretical weight standard for the post-reform copper as clustered around 10.5 to 11.0 grams, although individual surviving specimens exhibit normal manufacturing variances from approximately 9.5 to 12.0 grams due to the mint's practice of striking flans al marco (a fixed number of coins per Roman pound) rather than adjusting each blank individually al pezzo. Diameters typically measure between 27 and 29 millimeters. Die alignment was predominantly regulated, frequently oriented to the vertical six-o'clock or twelve-o'clock positions, reflecting the high standard of mechanical discipline maintained by the Rome mint during this prolific period of striking.

Obverse Iconography and Portraiture

The obverse of RIC I (second edition) Nero 347 depicts the laureate head of Nero facing right. The portraiture is rendered in the mature, baroque style characteristic of Nero's final years, a sharp departure from the youthful, idealized classicism of his earliest coinage. The bust reveals a fleshy, thick-necked physiognomy, prominent jowls, and a distinct double chin. His hairstyle is carefully arranged in elaborate, layered tiers of parallel locks combed forward across the crown toward the brow, a fashion known from literary sources as the comatus style, reflecting the emperor's embrace of theatrical and Hellenistic aesthetic ideals. The laurel wreath encircling his head is tied at the occiput with two ribbons that cascade down the back of the neck. Unlike certain parallel issues in Nero's bronze repertoire that feature an aegis or a globe beneath the truncation of the bust, the truncation of Nero 347 is typically plain or softly contoured without secondary symbols. The sculptural quality of the portrait demonstrates the exceptional virtuosity of the Rome die engravers, who succeeded in translating Nero's complex self-image into imperial metalwork.

Reverse Design: The Temple of Janus

The reverse of the coin features an intricate architectural depiction of the Shrine of Janus Quirinus, commonly referred to as the Temple of Janus, situated in the Roman Forum near the Argiletum. The building is shown in three-quarter perspective, revealing its long side and one of its end walls. On RIC I (second edition) Nero 347, the structure is arranged specifically with a latticed or grated window on the left side wall and the closed double portal located on the right. Across the panels of the closed doors hangs an ornamental festoon or garland, known in numismatic literature as the 'ubique door' variety. The architectural detail is rendered with miniature precision: ashlar masonry blocks form the podium and walls, while decorative friezes and projecting cornices crown the elevation. The closing of the twin gates of Janus was a solemn, archaic rite in Roman religion. By tradition, the doors remained open during times of war to allow the deity to go forth to aid the Roman legions, and were closed only when universal peace had been achieved throughout all territories of the Roman state. Prior to Nero, the doors had been shut only a handful of times in Roman history, most famously by Augustus, whose precedent Nero consciously sought to emulate and surpass.

Epigraphy and Imperial Titulature

The inscriptions on RIC I (second edition) Nero 347 represent a masterpiece of political propaganda and epigraphic economy. The obverse legend reads IMP NERO CAESAR AVG GERM, running continuously along the border from the lower left to the lower right. This compressed titulature omits the traditional listing of annual offices, such as the tribunicia potestas or iterative consulships, prioritizing instead the military praenomen Imperator (IMP), the hereditary and dynastic names Nero Caesar Augustus, and the victory title Germanicus (GERM). The reverse legend is one of the most famous proclamations in imperial numismatics: PACE P R VBIQ PARTA IANVM CLVSIT, supplemented by the letters S C in the field. The phrase expands in Latin to Pace Populi Romani Ubique Parta Ianum Clusit ('The peace of the Roman people having been established everywhere, he closed the Temple of Janus'). The inclusion of S C (Senatus Consulto, 'by decree of the Senate') adheres to the legal convention of base-metal coinage, underscoring senatorial sanction for this public celebration of universal peace under Neronian governance.

Typology and Chronological Classification

Within the extensive Temple of Janus series struck under Nero, RIC I (second edition) Nero 347 occupies a clearly defined typological niche. The series exhibits several systematic permutations across different denominations (sestertii, dupondii, and asses) and mints (Rome and Lugdunum). The primary variables include the orientation of the temple (doors to the left versus doors to the right), the presence or absence of windows, and variations in the reverse inscription. Certain companion types employ the shorter legend PACE P R TERRA MARIQ PARTA IANVM CLVSIT ('...on land and sea...'), whereas Nero 347 specifically utilizes the formula with VBIQ ('everywhere'). Chronologically, while the general catalogue boundary extends from AD 62 to 68, the closure of the Temple of Janus is directly tied to the cessation of hostilities in the East. Following Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo's campaigns and the diplomatic treaty negotiated with King Vologases I of Parthia in AD 63, the formal submission of Armenia was celebrated in Rome in AD 66 when Tiridates received his crown from Nero. Historical and hoard evidence firmly places the striking of the PACE P R VBIQ series at Rome in circa AD 65 to 66. This placement coincides with the introduction of the forward-facing, uncrowned or laureate obverse portraits bearing the initial title IMP.

Circulation Patterns and Monetary Life

Because it was minted in substantial numbers at the primary imperial capital, RIC I (second edition) Nero 347 circulated extensively throughout central and southern Italy, as well as along key maritime trade routes in the western Mediterranean. Archaeological excavations in Rome, Ostia, and the Campanian cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum have revealed numerous specimens of Neronian copper asses showing moderate to heavy circulation wear, confirming their role as everyday transactional money. While the western legionary frontiers along the Rhine and upper Danube relied heavily on base-metal shipments from the mint at Lugdunum, issues from the Rome mint also penetrated these military markets via troop movements, administrative transfers, and supply contractors. The high intrinsic quality and full copper content of Nero's post-reform asses ensured their acceptance long after Nero's fall and subsequent damnatio memoriae in AD 68. Despite attempts by political opponents to deface or suppress his memory, economic practicality dictated that his aes coins remained in active circulation through the Flavian period and well into the second century AD, often circulating alongside the base-metal issues of Vespasian, Domitian, and Trajan.

References

1. The Western Coinages of Nero (Numismatic Notes and Monographs 161). pp. 82-87
2. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum (BMCRE), Vol. I: Augustus to Vitellius. pp. 237-238
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC I (second edition) Nero 347. Type ric.1(2).ner.347
4. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. I: From 31 BC to AD 69 (revised edition). p. 166, no. 347