Honorius AE3, RIC IX Antioch 69E

Monetary Context

During the final phase of the reign of Theodosius I (AD 379 to 395), base-metal coinage underwent significant reorganizations to maintain everyday transactional liquidity across the Roman Mediterranean. The bronze denomination modern numismatists designate as the AE3 was struck alongside smaller AE4 nummi, functioning as the primary mid-range token currency within a bimetallic economy anchored to the gold solidus. Following the usurpation of Eugenius in the Western Roman Empire in AD 392, Theodosius elevated his eight-year-old son Honorius to the rank of Augustus on 23 January AD 393. Base-metal coinage struck at major imperial administrative centers, such as Antioch in Syria, served as a crucial instrument of political legitimation. Issues bearing the title and portrait of Honorius were struck to confirm the dynastic solidarity of the House of Theodosius alongside Theodosius I and his elder brother Arcadius, signaling imperial unity through uniform iconography across the eastern mints.

Production and Mints

The issue RIC IX Antioch 69E was struck exclusively at Antioch (modern Antakya, Turkey), which served as one of the preeminent regional capitals and financial hubs of the Diocese of the East. Antioch operated several active officinae (mint workshops) during this period, indicated by Greek numeral letters appended to the mint signature in the reverse exergue, typically rendered as ANT followed by officina designations such as Alpha, Beta, Gamma, or Delta. Copper-alloy planchets for the late fourth-century AE3 denomination were cast before being hot-struck between engraved iron or bronze dies. The target weight standard for an AE3 in this transitional era fluctuated between approximately 1.8 and 2.6 grams, with flan diameters averaging between 16 and 18 millimeters, though considerable individual variation occurred due to high-speed mass production and loose mass-tally control by mint officials.

Obverse Design and Portraiture

The obverse of RIC IX Antioch 69E displays the youthful bust of Honorius facing right. In accordance with fourth-century imperial conventions for junior collegiate emperors, the portrait is pearl-diademed, draped with a paludamentum, and cuirassed. The pearl diadem had become the definitive symbol of sovereignty since the reign of Constantine I, replacing the earlier laurel wreath of the Principate. While the portraiture of the period was largely stylized rather than strictly physiognomic, the bust emphasizes the youthful status of Honorius relative to the bearded or mature likenesses used for Theodosius I. Dies produced at the Antiochene mint demonstrate neat execution characteristic of late Roman eastern die cutters, with delicate detailing along the diadem ties, drapery folds, and shoulder brooch.

Reverse Iconography

The reverse iconography of RIC IX Antioch 69E features the emperor mounted on a walking or trotting horse moving toward the right, with his right hand raised in an assertive yet protective gesture. This motif, rooted in traditional Roman adventus and triumph imagery, projects imperial majesty, mobility, and military vigilance. Although Honorius was a minor child residing in Constantinople and not an active field commander, imperial ideology required every Augustus to be portrayed as a victorious protector of the state. The motif reflects the broader GLORIA ROMANORVM thematic repertoire that dominated Late Roman coin reverses, conveying the enduring strength and divine favor safeguarding Roman borders during a period of sustained external pressure and internal civil conflict.

Inscriptions and Epigraphy

The obverse legend reads D N HONORIVS P F AVG, which abbreviates Dominus Noster Honorius Pius Felix Augustus ('Our Lord Honorius, Pious and Fortunate Emperor'). The formula Dominus Noster had become the standard prefix for imperial titular attribution on coins since the Constantinian dynasty, emphasizing the absolute authority of the monarch. The reverse inscription reads GLORIA ROMANORVM, broken by the equestrian figure as GLORIA-ROMANORVM. This ubiquitous motto translates as 'The Glory of the Romans', aligning the newly minted Augustus with the collective valor and preservation of the Roman state. The exergue contains the mint signature designating Antioch, consistently featuring the abbreviated city name ANT combined with workshop numerals.

Typology and Chronology

In Roman Imperial Coinage Volume IX, Harold Mattingly and J. W. E. Pearce organized the Antioch bronze issues under catalog number 69 according to ruler and officina combinations, with 69E denoting the sub-type struck specifically in the name of Honorius. While the broader issue of Antioch 69 commenced around AD 392 under Theodosius I and Arcadius, the striking of 69E can only date from Honorius's proclamation as Augustus on 23 January AD 393 until the death of Theodosius I on 17 January AD 395. After Theodosius's death, the minting structures across the Mediterranean adjusted to reflect the formal division of the empire between Arcadius in the East and Honorius in the West, giving way to new bronze types such as the VIRTVS EXERCITI series.

Circulation and Monetary Life

AE3 coins of the GLORIA ROMANORVM equestrian type circulated widely throughout the Diocese of the East, including Syria, Phoenicia, Palestine, and adjacent provinces. Archaeological excavations across Levantine settlements demonstrate that late fourth-century bronze coinage moved swiftly along trade routes linking Antioch with inland military garrisons and coastal ports. Because these base-metal coins carried an intrinsic value significantly below their tariffed fiduciary worth, they remained in circulation for decades, frequently surviving in hoards deposited during the fifth century AD. Many recovered specimens exhibit heavy wear, clipping, or surface corrosion resulting from long circulation histories and regional soil conditions.

References

1. Catalogue of Late Roman Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection. pp. 132-135
2. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC IX Antioch 69E. ric.9.anch.69E
3. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume IX: Valentinian I to Theodosius I. pp. 293-294