Philip II Antoninianus, RIC IV Philip I 230

Monetary Context and Denominational Setting

By the late 240s AD, the antoninianus or radiate double denarius had thoroughly superseded the traditional silver denarius as the principal silver denomination across the Roman Empire. Initially introduced under Caracalla in AD 215 and revived under Balbinus and Pupienus in AD 238, the denomination was struck under Philip the Arab in enormous volumes to meet escalating military expenditures, imperial donatives, and administrative overhead. During this period, the antoninianus suffered from continuous, systemic debasement. Instead of containing twice the silver content of an ordinary denarius, it contained only approximately one and a half times that amount, with the silver fineness dropping to between forty and forty-five percent under Philip. Coins like RIC IV Philip I 230 were struck within this inflationary monetary environment, serving as the primary circulating vehicle for substantial state disbursements, including ceremonial distributions of cash denoted as liberalitates.

Production Standards and Mint Organization

RIC IV Philip I 230 was struck exclusively at the imperial mint in Rome. During the joint reign of Philip the Arab and his son, the Rome mint was organized into six distinct workshops or officinae, which divided production across the reigning Augusti and the Empress Otacilia Severa. Antoniniani of this series typically weigh between 3.5 and 4.5 grams with an average diameter of approximately 21 to 23 millimetres, struck on prepared cast flans of billon. The dies were engraved with great skill by experienced die-cutters, reflecting the sophisticated standard maintained by the capital's central facility despite political instability. Struck by manual hammer striking between fixed upper dies and anvil lower dies, individual flans display typical ancient manufacturing traits such as slight eccentricities in strike, edge cracking, and uneven planchet thickness.

Obverse Imagery and Iconography

The obverse of RIC IV Philip I 230 presents the right-facing bust of Philip II, who had been elevated from Caesar to co-emperor with the rank of Augustus in AD 247. The young emperor is depicted radiate, wearing the radiate crown that had functioned since the early third century as the official numismatic mark of a double denomination. His portrait combines youthful features with the official attire of the Roman commander in chief, rendered as draped and cuirassed. The style of the bust conforms closely to the idealized portraiture executed at the Rome mint, presenting the junior Augustus as an energetic, legitimate successor and co-ruler in complete military and civil parity with his father.

Reverse Iconography and Composition

The reverse composition depicts Philip the Arab and Philip II seated side by side, facing left upon curule chairs (sellae curules). The senior emperor, Philip the Arab, is positioned in the foreground nearer to the viewer, holding a short sceptre in his hand, while the younger co-emperor sits beside him. This scene captures an imperial tribunal (suggestum) during the distribution of the third imperial liberality. The presence of two seated Augusti directly visually reinforces the message of collegiate imperial concordia, showing both rulers united in their generosity toward the Roman populace. The curule chairs emphasize their magisterial authority and civil legitimacy, while the sceptre denotes supreme imperial imperium.

Epigraphy and Legend Analysis

The obverse inscription reads IMP PHILIPPVS AVG, an abbreviated Latin legend denoting Imperator Philippus Augustus. Because both father and son shared the same name (Marcus Iulius Philippus), numismatists differentiate their issues through portrait age, context, and associated reverse pairing; on this type, the portraiture represents the younger Philip. The reverse legend reads LIBERALITAS AVGG III, celebrating the third imperial donative. The double G in AVGG is the customary Latin epigraphic abbreviation for the plural Augustorum, confirming that the benefaction was officially granted under the joint authority of both co-rulers. The Roman numeral III specifies this as their third imperial liberality, which is traditionally linked to the elevation of Philip II to Augustus or the subsequent celebration of Rome's Saeculum Novum.

Typology and Chronological Placement

The issue date of RIC IV Philip I 230 is securely bounded between the summer of AD 247, when Philip II was elevated to the rank of Augustus, and late summer or autumn of AD 249, when both emperors perished following the revolt of Trajan Decius. The third liberality was commemorated across multiple denominations, including aurei, sestertii, and antoniniani. RIC IV Philip I 230 stands as the specific billon antoninianus type struck with the obverse bust of Philip II as Augustus paired with the two seated rulers on the reverse. Parallel issues were simultaneously struck bearing the portrait of the elder Philip (such as RIC IV Philip I 3), forming an integrated dynastic release across multiple officinae at Rome.

Circulation Patterns and Archaeological Evidence

Antoniniani of the joint reign of Philip the Arab and Philip II circulated extensively throughout the western and eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. Archaeological excavations and coin hoards across Roman Britain, Gaul, the Rhine frontier, and the Danubian provinces regularly contain specimens of this issue. Because Gresham's Law and persistent inflation encouraged the hoarding of older, finer silver while lower-grade radiates circulated rapidly, vast quantities of third-century antoniniani remained in commercial and military circulation for decades, often staying in active use until the comprehensive monetary reforms of Aurelian in AD 274 and Diocletian in AD 294.

References

1. The Coinage of Philip the Arab: A Study of the Mints and Chronology. Rome Mint, Third Liberality Issues
2. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. IV, Part III: Gordian III to Uranius Antoninus. p. 97, no. 230
3. RIC IV Philip I 230 in Online Coins of the Roman Empire. ric.4.ph_i.230