Philip the Arab Bronze As RIC IV Philip I 168B

Monetary Context and Denominational Function

During the mid-third century AD, the Roman monetary system underwent intense transformation driven by rapid debasement of the silver currency. The silver radiate, or antoninianus, increasingly dominated imperial production, displacing the traditional silver denarius. In this volatile environment, copper-alloy denominations continued to fill everyday retail and commercial needs in Italy and the western provinces. The as, valued at one-sixteenth of a silver denarius or four sesterces to the denarius in classical accounting, had seen its purchasing power eroded over generations. By the reign of Philip the Arab (AD 244 to 249), the bronze denominations were struck in smaller quantities compared to the vast quantities of radiates produced to pay legions and secure political loyalty. Nevertheless, the mint of Rome continued to issue the traditional triad of bronze denominations: sestertii, dupondii, and asses. The issue catalogued as RIC IV Philip I 168B reflects this ongoing institutional effort to provide small-change currency under the traditional authority of the Senate, even as political instability deepened throughout the Mediterranean.

Production Standards and Mint Attribution

The entire known series for RIC IV Philip I 168B is attributed to the primary imperial mint located in Rome. Unlike earlier centuries where bronze output might be shared across auxiliary workshops, third-century copper-alloy coins were overwhelmingly concentrated at the capital. Asses under Philip I were struck on cast bronze planchets with variable physical parameters. While classical imperial asses from the first and second centuries AD were targeted around 10 to 12 grams, third-century specimens typically display broader weight distributions, often clustering between 8 and 11 grams with diameters spanning roughly 24 to 26 millimeters. The die alignment of mid-third-century imperial bronze issues was predominantly upright or inverted (6 or 12 o'clock). Flans frequently show irregular edges, flan cracking, and beveling produced by rapid mechanical preparation and striking under high-output conditions. The manufacturing process relied on hand-engraved iron dies, with the reverse dies frequently bearing senatorial marks.

Obverse Iconography and Imperial Representation

The obverse of RIC IV Philip I 168B features a right-facing bust of Emperor Philip the Arab. The portrait is formally rendered as laureate, draped, and cuirassed. The laureate wreath is a crucial diagnostic feature of the denomination: on Roman imperial base metals, the laurel wreath designated the single as or the quadruple-value sestertius, whereas the radiate crown was strictly reserved for the dupondius. The drapery and cuirass communicate the standard imperial synthesis of civil leadership and military readiness. Stylistically, Philip is depicted with a close-cropped military beard, textured short hair, and strong facial features characteristic of the soldier-emperors of the mid-third century. Die cutters at Rome produced several minor stylistic variations in portrait rendering, adjusting the prominence of the drapery folds and the layout of the laurel ties resting behind the neck.

Reverse Iconography and Symbolism

The reverse iconography presents Annona, the personification of the grain supply of Rome, draped and standing facing left. In her right hand, she extends ears of grain over a modius, a standard Roman dry-measure vessel filled with agricultural produce, resting at her feet. In her left arm, she cradles a full cornucopia, representing abundance, fertility, and prosperity. Flanking the standing figure in the field is the inscription S C, denoting Senatus Consulto ('by decree of the Senate'). This traditional formula recalled senatorial oversight of base-metal issues, a convention established under Augustus. The Annona motif formed an integral part of Roman imperial ideology, reassuring the civilian population of the capital that the emperor had secured an uninterrupted supply of grain. In the uncertain political climate of the 240s AD, displaying Annona functioned as an explicit promise of imperial benevolence, domestic stability, and urban sustenance.

Epigraphy and Legend Analysis

The obverse inscription reads IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, abbreviating 'Imperator Marcus Iulius Philippus Augustus'. This legend conforms to the standard official titulature adopted by Philip upon his accession following the death of Gordian III in Mesopotamia in AD 244. The reverse carries the inscription ANNONA AVGG, complemented by S C in the field. The plural form AVGG, written with two letters G, typically designated two collegial Augusti. Historically, Philip elevated his young son, Philip II, from Caesar to Augustus around the summer of AD 247. The appearance of AVGG on reverse dies reflects this joint imperial reign, though hoard compositions and mint continuity suggest that dies carrying collegial formulas were sometimes prepared or used across transitional phases of the administration. Letterforms are executed in classical imperial capitals with neat incisions, showing uniform serifing typical of the Rome mint during this period.

Typology and Chronological Classification

Within the typology established in Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume IV, Part III, catalogue number 168B specifies the as denomination corresponding to sestertius RIC IV Philip I 168A. The overarching date range assigned to the type in standard references spans Philip's complete reign from AD 244 to AD 249. However, the specific reverse formulation ANNONA AVGG places its production primarily in the latter half of the reign, beginning with the co-emperorship of Philip II in AD 247 and continuing until their overthrow by Decius in the autumn of AD 249. Analogous Annona types were struck simultaneously across sestertii and radiates, underscoring a coordinated thematic program by the mint magistrates. Because bronze dies were preserved and sometimes interchanged across workshop officinae, individual specimens may show minute variations in die engraving, but the overall type remains clearly defined by its exact combination of titular formulas and design elements.

Circulation Patterns and Archaeological Evidence

Base-metal asses of the mid-third century circulated primarily in Italy and neighboring western provinces, where monetized urban markets still handled small transactions in bronze. By the late 240s AD, the production volume of asses was substantially lower than that of sestertii and radiates, meaning that fewer examples survived into modern hoards. Unlike silver issues, which were frequently buried in large hoards during barbarian incursions or political revolts, asses were lost primarily in routine daily retail or abandoned in occupation layers. Excavation records across Roman Italy, the Gallic provinces, and the Rhine frontier indicate that Philip's bronze coinage circulated alongside heavily worn first- and second-century issues. The rapid debasement of the antoninianus soon outpaced the intrinsic value of small bronze, eventually leading to the near-total abandonment of the traditional as by the end of the third century.

References

1. Coinage in the Roman World. pp. 122-126
2. Roman Coins from the Earliest Times to the Fall of the Western Empire. pp. 131-135
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC IV Philip I 168B. ric.4.ph_i.168B
4. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume IV, Part III: Gordian III - Uranius Antoninus. pp. 88-89, no. 168B