Philip II Bronze Sestertius, RIC IV Philip I 256A

Monetary and Political Context

The accession of Marcus Julius Philippus in early AD 244, following the death of Gordian III during the Mesopotamian campaign, immediately prompted an intense public program of dynastic consolidation. To forestall the instability that had plagued military emperors over the preceding decades, Philip moved swiftly to secure dynastic legitimacy by raising his young son, also named Marcus Julius Philippus, to the rank of Caesar in the spring or summer of AD 244. The official coinage struck at Rome functioned as the foremost vehicle for broadcasting this hereditary succession across the empire. By the mid-third century AD, the Roman monetary system was undergoing profound structural shifts. The base-metal denominations established by Augustus, most notably the sestertius, were increasingly marginalized by the rapid expansion of double-denarius silver issues, the antoniniani or radiate coins. Although the silver purity of the antoninianus continued to deteriorate, the sestertius remained an indispensable medium for everyday civic commerce, administrative payments, and public distributions within Italy and the western provinces. The issue of RIC IV Philip I 256A provided high-visibility bronze currency bearing the image of the newly designated heir, signaling institutional continuity and senatorial acquiescence in the dynastic settlement.

Production Standards and Minting

RIC IV Philip I 256A was produced exclusively by the imperial mint at Rome, which maintained dedicated officinae for base-metal denominations alongside the heavy silver production of antoniniani. During the 240s AD, bronze flans were cast in open or bivalve mould matrices before being struck between engraved iron dies. The metallurgical composition of the sestertius in this period had largely drifted from the classic high-zinc brass of the early empire toward a quaternary alloy composed of copper, tin, lead, and variable residual amounts of zinc. Physical dimensions for sestertii of Philip II as Caesar demonstrate the gradual weight reduction typical of third-century aes. While early imperial sestertii averaged between 25 and 28 grams, specimens of RIC IV Philip I 256A typically fluctuate across a broader range from approximately 16 to 22 grams, with flan diameters spanning between 28 and 31 millimeters. Irregular flan shapes, bevelled edges, and axial adjustments are common to the issue. Die axes at Rome during this period were commonly aligned to 12 o'clock or 6 o'clock, though slight rotational variations occur due to manual striking practices.

Obverse Portraiture and Attributes

The obverse of RIC IV Philip I 256A features a right-facing portrait bust of Philip II represented as a youth. In accordance with established imperial conventions for a Caesar, the prince is shown bare-headed, without the laurel wreath reserved for reigning Augusti or the radiate crown that designated radiate denominations. His drapery is gathered at the shoulder, presenting the young prince in civil or semi-military attire. Stylistically, Rome engravers executed the portrait with soft, rounded facial contours indicative of Philip II's adolescent age at his elevation, estimated at approximately seven or eight years old in AD 244. Over the course of the issue between AD 244 and AD 246, subtle stylistic maturation can be traced across working dies, moving from an idealized boyish profile to slightly firmer features. Despite these minor variations in die cutting, the essential iconographic formula of the bare-headed, draped bust remains constant throughout the issue of this specific catalogue entry.

Reverse Iconography and Symbolism

The reverse design of RIC IV Philip I 256A depicts the young Philip II standing in a dignified military posture, turned toward the left. He is attired in military dress, consisting of a short tunic and military cloak. In his extended right hand, he balances a globe, while his left hand supports an upright, vertical spear. Flanking the lower fields of the composition are the bold letters S and C, representing the formulaic Senatus Consulto. The iconography combines two potent ideological emblems of imperial dominion. The spear underscores military virtue and the prince's future role as commander of the Roman legions, while the globe symbolizes universal dominion over the terrestrial sphere. Together, these attributes articulate the promise of a peaceful, well-ordered world under the continued stewardship of the Philippic dynasty. By showing the heir apparent equipped with the attributes of universal rule, the reverse directly aligned the adolescent prince with the security and eternity of the Roman state.

Epigraphy and Legend Readings

The inscriptions on RIC IV Philip I 256A adhere to strict institutional epigraphy, executed in clean, classical Roman capitals. The obverse legend reads M IVL PHILIPPVS CAES, an abbreviation of Marcus Julius Philippus Caesar. This concise legend serves to establish his legal nomen and cognomen while clearly delineating his subordinate rank as Caesar, distinguishing his bronze coinage from the concurrent issues struck for his father, which carried Augustus titles. The reverse legend reads PRINCIPI IVVENT, short for Principi Iuventutis, dedicated 'to the Prince of the Youth'. This venerable republican and early imperial honorific, originally bestowed upon young members of the equestrian order, had evolved since the reign of Augustus into the formal titular designation of the presumptive heir to the principate. Accompanied by the senatorial authorization S C, this epigraphic formulation confirmed both popular and senatorial endorsement of Philip II as the designated successor to the imperial throne.

Typology and Relative Chronology

RIC IV Philip I 256A belongs to the initial phase of Philip II's numismatic presence, positioned between his appointment as Caesar in AD 244 and his promotion to Augustus in AD 247. The PRINCIPI IVVENT type with the standing prince holding globe and spear was struck across multiple denominations, including the silver antoninianus and quinarius, as well as the bronze sestertius and as. Within the sestertius series, RIC distinguishes several related variants based on minor differences in obverse drapery, bust direction, and reverse attributes. In standard numismatic catalogues, type 256A is strictly defined by the combination of the bare-headed, draped bust facing right and the standing prince holding a globe and vertical spear. It is closely related to RIC IV Philip I 255 and 256, where slight differences in legend arrangement or reverse attributes such as a transverse spear appear. The cessation of type 256A occurred when Philip II was elevated to the rank of Augustus in mid-247 AD, at which point his obverse titles shifted to IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG and his portraits adopted the imperial laurel wreath or radiate crown.

Circulation Patterns and Monetary Deposition

Sestertii of the mid-240s AD circulated primarily within Italy and the western European provinces, including Gaul, Britain, and the Rhine frontier, where base-metal denominations were still relied upon for everyday retail transactions. Archaeological evidence from excavated sites and river deposits indicates that bronze coins of the joint reign of Philip I and Philip II circulated alongside earlier Severan and Gordianic sestertii, frequently showing moderate to heavy surface wear consistent with prolonged usage. Unlike silver antoniniani, which were frequently hoarded during the monetary crises of the mid-to-late third century, large base-metal coins were hoarded less systematically during this period. Nevertheless, specimens of RIC IV Philip I 256A occur within mixed third-century bronze hoards deposited prior to the complete collapse of sestertius production in the 260s and 270s AD. Their presence in western coin finds demonstrates that despite the progressive inflation that eroded the economic purchasing power of the sestertius, Rome's aes output under Philip the Arab achieved wide geographic distribution throughout the western half of the empire.

References

1. Description historique des monnaies frappées sous l'Empire romain, Tome V. p. 162, no. 49
2. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC IV Philip I 256A. ric.4.ph_i.256A
3. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume IV, Part III: Gordian III to Uranius Antoninus. p. 94, no. 256A