Nero Orichalcum Sestertius, RIC I (second edition) Nero 324

Monetary Context and the Neronian Coinage Reforms

The production of RIC I (second edition) Nero 324 falls within the profound structural reorganization of Roman imperial currency executed under Nero. Prior to approximately 64 AD, bronze and brass base metal token denominations had seen negligible output at Rome during Nero's early principate, which was largely characterized by the continuation of the Claudius-era circulation pool and precious metal strikes. Following the devastating Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD and the mounting fiscal pressures of extensive rebuilding campaigns, Nero instituted sweeping monetary reforms that recalibrated the weights of the gold aureus and silver denarius while revitalizing the production of large aes denominations.

Production Standards and Mint Attribution

The sestertius catalogued as RIC 324 was struck at the primary mint of Rome. In this period, Nero maintained two major minting centers for base metal coinage: Rome and an imperial branch mint at Lugdunum (modern Lyon, France). The output of Rome is distinguishable by stylistic and physical criteria, notably the absence of the small globe termination at the point of the neck bust truncation that typically identifies western strikes from Lugdunum. The coin was manufactured from orichalcum, a golden-toned brass alloy composed principally of copper and zinc, which offered both aesthetic brilliance and a premium valuation over pure copper issues. Under the reformed Julio-Claudian standard, the sestertius targeted a nominal mass around 25 to 28 grams with typical diameters spanning 34 to 36 millimeters, though individual specimens demonstrate notable die-axis variances and weight fluctuations typical of ancient manual flan casting and striking. Die orientation was predominantly adjusted to an upright or inverted vertical alignment (around six or twelve o'clock). The striking of such broad, heavy flans required deeply carved dies and substantial physical force from mint personnel, yielding high relief that was susceptible to progressive die wear and flan fissures along the perimeter.

Obverse Iconography and Imperial Portraiture

The obverse of RIC 324 presents a bold, expressive profile portrait of the emperor Nero facing left, crowned with a laurel wreath tied at the nape of the neck with fluttering ribbons. Unlike the idealized, classicizing Julio-Claudian portraits characteristic of Augustus and Tiberius, Neronian portraiture of this late phase embraces a dynamic, Hellenistic realism. The die engravers at Rome depicted Nero with a heavy, fleshy jowl, a thick neck, and a pronounced, tiered hairstyle styled in elaborate rows of curled locks across the forehead and crown. The leftward orientation of the bust is comparatively less frequent than the standard rightward portraiture in this series, representing a distinct compositional branch within the Roman sestertius dies. The portrait truncation is executed cleanly without the western mint's globe attribute, and the surrounding legend is engraved within a beaded border running along the flan edge.

Reverse Iconography: The Temple of Janus

The reverse of RIC 324 displays an architectural perspective of the Temple of Janus, specifically the shrine dedicated to Janus Quirinus located near the Roman Forum. Roman tradition dictated that the double doors of the shrine remained open during times of conflict and were closed only when the entire empire enjoyed total peace. On this specific type, the shrine is depicted in oblique perspective: the side wall of the building is visible on the left, rendered with a distinctive rectangular latticework or fretwork window, while the closed double-paneled doors occupy the right front portal. A sacrificial garland (festoon) is hung across the closed doors, symbolizing sacred celebration and religious fulfillment. Numismatists classify this specific spatial arrangement as the 'terra door' variant (doors to the right) because the doors align beneath the word TERRA in the typical continuous reading of the reverse legend. The letters S C, signifying Senatus Consulto, are distributed in the lower field or flanking the temple facade, certifying the official senatorial authorization of the brass coinage.

Inscriptions and Epigraphic Analysis

The obverse inscription reads continuously clockwise as IMP NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR P P P. This epigraphic formula abbreviates Nero's full formal titulature: Imperator Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, Pontifex Maximus (Chief Priest), Tribunicia Potestate (holding Tribunician Power), and Pater Patriae (Father of the Fatherland). The placement of the title Imperator as a praenomen reflects an emphatic militaristic framing that gained prominence later in his reign. The reverse legend bears the monumental proclamation: PACE P R TERRA MARIQ PARTA IANVM CLVSIT, followed by S C. Expanded into Latin, this reads: Pace Populi Romani Terra Marique Parta, Ianum Clusit ('The peace of the Roman people having been established on land and sea, he closed the Temple of Janus'). The phrasing directly recalls the Res Gestae of Augustus, connecting Nero to the founding princeps as an architect of universal stability. Epigraphically, the letters are rendered in clean Roman square capitals, although spacing was adapted dynamically to conform to the circular boundary around the architectural shrine.

Typology and Chronological Classification

Within the system of Roman Imperial Coinage, Nero's Temple of Janus sestertii constitute an extensive family distinguished by directional variants of the emperor's head, mint locations, and the orientation of the temple shrine itself. The primary compositional division in the reverse design separates types showing the temple doors on the left ('pace door' variants) from those showing the doors on the right ('terra door' variants). RIC 324 specifically designates the combination of a laureate head facing left with the closed doors displayed on the right. While the broad cataloguing parameters in early literature assign the reform aes of Nero broadly to 62 to 68 AD, modern numismatic studies by C.H.V. Sutherland and D.W. MacDowall date the striking of the Temple of Janus sestertii at Rome securely to approximately 65 to 66 AD. This dating aligns with the historical conclusion of the Armenian campaigns, where Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo secured a negotiated peace with King Tiridates I, culminating in Tiridates' formal coronation in Rome in 66 AD. The ritual closing of the Temple of Janus provided the immediate geopolitical impetus for the commemorative issue.

Circulation, Wear Patterns, and Archaeological Context

Because of its high purchasing power (equivalent to four copper asses or one quarter of a silver denarius), the sestertius circulated heavily across urban retail markets, military frontiers, and interprovincial trade networks. RIC 324 was distributed widely from Rome into Italy and the western provinces, including Gaul, Hispania, and Britannia, where base metal currency shortages often led to extended lifetimes in circulation. Archaeological find-spots and hoards from the Flavian and Trajanic eras frequently include Neronian sestertii displaying substantial peripheral smoothing, flattening of high facial relief, and corrosion patination consistent with decades of manual handling. In subsequent decades, many of these heavy brass pieces remained in active circulation until systematically recalled, melted, or countermarked during second-century monetary restructurings.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol. I: Augustus to Vitellius. pp. 214-217
2. The Western Coinages of Nero (Numismatic Notes and Monographs 161). American Numismatic Society, New York
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC I (second edition) Nero 324. ric.1(2).ner.324
4. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. I: From 31 BC to AD 69 (revised edition). pp. 133-183, no. 324