Tiberius Orichalcum Dupondius, RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 79

Monetary Context and Denominational Function

The monetary reforms initiated under Augustus established a strictly regulated trimetallic currency system that Tiberius maintained with conservative fidelity. Within this framework, the dupondius functioned as an intermediate brass denomination positioned between the larger four-as sestertius and the copper as. Tariffed at two asses, eight dupondii constituted one silver denarius. To prevent confusion in everyday commercial exchanges between the dupondius and the as, which possessed overlapping diameters typically between 27 mm and 30 mm, the Roman monetary authorities relied on both metallurgical differentiation and specific iconographic signifiers. The dupondius was struck on planchets composed of orichalcum, a golden-yellow alloy of copper alloyed with approximately 15 to 20 percent zinc, whereas asses were struck in reddish unalloyed copper. Furthermore, the radiate crown worn by Augustus on this issue served as a standard imperial numismatic convention for the dupondius, directly signalling the double denomination in the base-metal series. Struck during the third decade of the first century AD, this issue fulfilled a crucial role in daily petty transactions across urban markets, sustaining cash liquidity for modest retail commerce, day wages, and military accounting.

Production and Mint Organization

Numismatic consensus securely assigns the production of RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 79 exclusively to the primary imperial mint operating in the city of Rome. During the early principate, the Rome mint executed base-metal coinage under the nominal purview of the Senate, as advertised by the prominent reverse formula S C, while remaining under direct administrative supervision of imperial procurators. Flans were prepared through casting in multi-cavity open or bivalve moulds, resulting in blank discs that were subsequently adjusted and struck using paired hand-carved steel or bronze dies. The physical strike achieved a high level of relief, characteristic of early imperial Julio-Claudian brass issues. The mass standard for the Augustan and Tiberian dupondius was set around an average target of 12.5 to 13.5 grams, although surviving specimens demonstrate normal operational variances resulting from bulk alloy preparation and al marco planchet weighing. Die axes were predominantly aligned in the vertical positions, typically adhering to an approximate 12 o'clock or 6 o'clock orientation, reflecting structured die-linking practices and disciplined mint discipline at Rome.

Obverse Design and Portraiture

The obverse of the dupondius displays the left-facing head of the deified Augustus, distinguished by a prominent radiate crown. This crown, consisting of sharp vertical solar rays emanating from a headband, represents the standard Roman visual shorthand for apotheosis and solar divinity. Following the official deification decreed by the Roman Senate in September AD 14, Augustus transitioned in public portraiture from the living princeps into an eternal celestial patron of the empire. The stylistic rendering of the portrait on this issue adheres to the classicizing, idealized aesthetic developed during Augustus' own lifetime: youthful, calm, and majestic, devoid of realistic aging or physical blemishes. The hair is arranged in the distinctive Julio-Claudian pattern of neat, overlapping locks across the brow. The portrait faces left, a orientation frequently reserved on early imperial bronze issues for specific commemorative and post-mortem series, differentiating it from Tiberius' concurrent living portraits which typically turned right.

Reverse Iconography: The Civic Crown

The reverse design presents the bold letters S C placed centrally within a meticulously engraved oak wreath, the corona civica. Bound at the bottom with flowing ribbons (taeniae), the oak wreath was among the highest military and civic honours of the Roman state, originally awarded for saving the life of a fellow citizen in battle. In 27 BC, the Roman Senate had formally decreed that an oak wreath be perpetually suspended above the entrance of Augustus' house on the Palatine in recognition of his role in ending the civil wars and preserving the citizenry (ob cives servatos). By enclosing the senatorial initials within the sacred civic oak garland, the design reinforces a dual message: it recalls the foundational honours conferred upon the divine Augustus while underscoring the ongoing partnership between Tiberius, the Senate, and the Roman people. The design is deliberately restrained and monumental, eschewing narrative complexity in favour of stark, recognizable civic symbols that communicated political stability throughout the Roman world.

Inscriptions and Epigraphy

The legends appearing on RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 79 are notable for their brevity, solemnity, and precise constitutional resonance. The obverse legend reads DIVVS AVGVSTVS PATER, arranged along the outer rim. This concise formula proclaims Augustus as divine ('Divus') and venerates him as the father ('Pater') of both the Roman people and the imperial line, explicitly echoing his historic title of Pater Patriae while highlighting Tiberius' status as the adopted son of a god (divi filius). The epigraphy is characterized by classical Roman square capitals, carefully proportioned and spaced to fit the curve of the die. The reverse carries only the two monumental letters S C, an abbreviation for Senatus Consulto ('by decree of the Senate'). Unlike contemporaneous aes issues of Tiberius that bore his full tribunician and consular titulature, this reverse omits all imperial titles, leaving the senatorial sanction to stand unencumbered within the civic crown. The absence of a dated imperial title on either side necessitates relative dating methods based on hoard associations and typological sequencing.

Typology, Sequencing, and Chronology

Catalogued definitively as RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 79, this issue belongs to the celebrated 'Divus Augustus Pater' bronze series struck at Rome during the middle principate of Tiberius. While earlier numismatists occasionally considered these coins to be posthumous emissions struck under Caligula or even later emperors, comprehensive analyses of die sequences, countermarks, and archaeological stratigraphy by modern numismatists have firmly settled their dating between AD 22 and AD 26. This timeframe coincides with the formal resumption of bronze coinage production at the Rome mint after an apparent hiatus, initiated around the conferral of tribunician power on Tiberius' son Drusus Julius Caesar in AD 22 to 23. The corona civica reverse with radiate head left stands as a coherent, distinct typological entry in the series, closely allied with complementary dupondii depicting Augustus seated or veiled, as well as asses featuring an altar or thunderbolt. While subtle stylistic variations exist in the termination of the laurel and oak leaves or the exact lettering of the dies, RIC 79 forms a unified, homogenous typological group within the second edition of the Roman Imperial Coinage.

Circulation Patterns and Monetary Afterlife

The Divus Augustus Pater dupondii circulated intensively and for a remarkably extended period across the Roman Empire. Archaeological excavation data and findspot records indicate that these coins were not retained merely as commemorative keepsakes but entered immediate, vigorous commercial circulation. They are found in significant quantities throughout Italy and the western provinces, particularly along the Rhine and Danubian frontiers, where imperial military installations required substantial volumes of small change. Due to their durable orichalcum composition, these dupondii resisted corrosion effectively, remaining in circulation through the reigns of Claudius, Nero, and the Flavian dynasty. Many extant specimens display heavy surface wear consistent with decades of continuous market handling. Additionally, specimens of the broader series frequently turn up with official regional countermarks applied in the western military zones under Claudius, validating them for continued local legal tender when fresh coin supply from Rome was insufficient.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol. I: Augustus to Vitellius. pp. 140-142
2. Roman Anniversary Issues: An Exploratory Study of the Numismatic and Epigraphic Evidence for 49 B.C.–A.D. 375. pp. 42-45
3. Roman Coins from the Earliest Times to the Fall of the Western Empire. pp. 110-115
4. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 79. ric.1(2).tib.79
5. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. I: From 31 BC to AD 69 (Revised Edition). pp. 98-99, no. 79