Tiberius Bronze Dupondius: RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 38

Monetary Context and Denominational Function

The monetary system established under Augustus structured Roman base-metal coinage around three distinct denominations: the sestertius, dupondius, and as, supplemented by the smaller semis and quadrans. The dupondius, valued at two asses or half a sestertius (one-eighth of a silver denarius), played a critical role in medium-value daily commercial transactions. To prevent confusion between the dupondius and the red-copper as, Augustan mint policy utilized orichalcum, a golden-toned brass alloy composed primarily of copper with approximately ten to twenty percent zinc. Orichalcum was valued at roughly double the rate of unalloyed copper by weight, permitting the dupondius to circulate at roughly half the weight of the larger sestertius while retaining twice the tariff of an as of comparable physical diameter. Under Tiberius, the production of base-metal coinage at Rome was irregular, alternating between periods of dormancy and concentrated civic emissions. The Clementiae series represented an important ideological and monetary intervention during the middle period of his principate, providing high-quality fractional currency that served both functional trade needs and state propaganda across Italy and the western territories.

Production Standards and Mint Attribution

Numismatic scholarship securely attributes RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 38 to the imperial mint at Rome. Struck under the traditional authority of the Senate as signified by the prominent letters S C on the reverse, the type was manufactured on carefully prepared orichalcum flans. Dupondii of this issue typically weigh in the range of 12.0 to 14.5 grams, with typical diameters measuring between 28 and 30 millimeters, conforming closely to the standard weight specifications established for the denomination under Augustus. Production utilized hot striking between two hand-engraved bronze or iron dies, usually aligned to a regular twelve o'clock or six o'clock die axis. Metallurgical analyses of contemporary Julio-Claudian orichalcum issues have revealed that the zinc content of brass coinage fluctuated slightly across production batches due to the cementation process used in ancient metallurgy, yet the Rome mint maintained strict control over flan mass and aesthetic execution. The die-cutters assigned to this issue produced dies of high artistic sophistication, particularly noticeable in the minute decorative detailing of the reverse shield.

Obverse Typology and Iconography

The obverse of RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 38 features the laureate head of Tiberius facing to the left. The imperial portrait is rendered in the restrained, classicizing style characteristic of Tiberian portraiture, which deliberately emulated the serene and ageless artistic conventions established under Augustus. Tiberius is depicted with smooth facial contours, a prominent Roman nose, tight curls bound by the laurel wreath, and a firm chin, creating an image of sober authority and continuity with the founder of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. The laurel wreath was an established symbol of triumph, civil authority, and divine favor. The leftward orientation of the bust is standard for this specific catalogue type, distinguishing it from rarer variants or contemporary as denominations that employ rightward portraits or alternative headgear, such as the bare head commonly reserved for asses.

Reverse Design and the Clementia Shield

The reverse presents one of the most intricate and distinctive compositions found in early imperial bronze coinage. The central focus is a circular ornamental shield, or clipeus, in the center of which appears a small draped or laureate bust, often interpreted as Tiberius, set within a circular laurel wreath. The surrounding field of the shield is articulated in concentric geometric borders, featuring a raised inner circle decorated with stylized petals, surrounded by an outer band of palmettes and refined beaded or dotted ornamentation. Across the lower or upper field, the dative dedication CLEMENTIAE proclaims the virtue honored by the design, while the large letters S C (Senatus Consulto) flank the central device to record senatorial authorization. This design reflects the Roman tradition of dedicating a commemorative golden or gilded shield (clipeus virtutis) to the princeps, directly recalling the famous shield granted to Augustus in 27 BC for his valor, clemency, justice, and piety. On Tiberius's coinage, the personified virtue of Clementia signifies the sovereign's constitutional self-restraint, benevolence toward subjects, and judicial mercy.

Inscriptions, Epigraphy, and Titulature

The obverse legend reads TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVST IMP VIII, running continuously around the border from the lower left. This epigraphic formula unpacks the essential constitutional and genealogical foundations of Tiberius's reign: Tiberius Caesar, Divi Augusti Filius, Augustus, Imperator VIII. By emphasizing his legal adoption by the deified Augustus (Divi Augusti Filius), the legend reinforced his divine lineage and dynastic legitimacy. The title Imperator VIII records his eighth military acclamation, which Tiberius accepted following the German campaigns celebrated in AD 16. On the reverse, the single-word dedication CLEMENTIAE is rendered in the dative case ('to the Clemency'), indicating that the coin type functioned as an offering, monument, or senatorial dedication in honor of the imperial virtue itself. The formula S C, for Senatus Consulto ('by decree of the Senate'), maintains the traditional constitutional fiction that regular bronze currency was authorized by the Roman Senate rather than direct autocratic edict.

Typology, Dating, and Chronological Debates

The chronology of RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 38 has been the subject of sustained discussion among twentieth-century numismatists. While Tiberius received his eighth imperatorial acclamation in AD 16, he held that exact titulature until receiving his subsequent acclamation years later, meaning that IMP VIII defines a terminus post quem rather than a single year of emission. In the revised edition of Roman Imperial Coinage, C. H. V. Sutherland dated this issue, along with its close companion honoring Moderatio (RIC 39 and 40), to the period between AD 16 and AD 22. Some scholars, notably Michael Grant, argued that the Clementiae and Moderationi dupondii were struck around AD 22 or 23 to commemorate the conclusion of the treason trials of Libo Drusus or other political settlements, serving as anniversary issues marking ten years of tribunician power or post-Augustan stability. Harold Mattingly in BMCRE favored a placement around AD 22 to 23, linking the issue to senatorial thanksgiving for Tiberius's moderation in dealing with internal political conspiracies. Although exact annual dating remains debated, the modern consensus assigns the type to the broad window of AD 16 to 22 within the central Rome mint sequence.

Circulation Patterns and Archaeological Evidence

Archaeological finds, hoard evidence, and river deposits demonstrate that Tiberian orichalcum dupondii circulated widely throughout the western Roman Empire. Specimens of RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 38 have been recovered from excavations across peninsular Italy, Gallia Narbonensis, the Rhine frontier military camps, and the Iberian peninsula. Because base-metal coin production at the Rome mint was sporadic under Tiberius, existing bronze pieces remained in active circulation for decades. Many surviving examples exhibit moderate to severe wear, countermarks applied by military authorities on the frontiers, and prolonged circulation into the reigns of Claudius, Nero, and the Flavian dynasty. The robust orichalcum metal retained substantial secondary intrinsic value even when worn flat. The prominent clipeus design made the type readily recognizable to ancient users, ensuring its longevity in local regional markets alongside provincial civic bronzes and Augustan currency.

References

1. Roman Anniversary Issues: An Alternative Numismatic Approach. pp. 47-52
2. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum (BMCRE), Vol. I: Augustus to Vitellius. pp. 132-134, nos. 85-90
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 38. ric.1(2).tib.38
4. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. I (revised edition). p. 97, no. 38