Tiberius Sestertius, RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 62

Monetary Context and Denominational Function

Under the currency system established by Augustus around 23 BC, the sestertius held a premier position as the largest base-metal coin in general circulation. Valued at four asses, two dupondii, or one quarter of a silver denarius, the sestertius was struck in orichalcum, a golden-toned copper-zinc brass alloy prized for its visual distinction from pure copper asses. The generous surface area of the denomination provided an exceptional platform for complex imperial imagery, visual narrative, and senatorial declarations. Issued during the twilight of Tiberius's principate in AD 35 to 36, this specific sestertius type reinforced the dual foundation of Julio-Claudian legitimacy: divine descent from the consecrated Augustus and formal constitutional authority sustained through the Roman Senate. Although struck decades after Augustus's death in AD 14, memorial types of this magnitude remained vital for preserving the political order and reminding the Roman public of the ongoing prosperity inaugurated by the first princeps.

Production Standards and Minting Technology

The entire issue of RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 62 was manufactured at the central mint of Rome. Production of large brass flans required sophisticated pyrotechnological management to control zinc concentrations in the orichalcum melt and ensure uniform mechanical properties during striking. Blanks were cast in individual moulds or prepared from cast rods before being brought to striking temperature. Engravers prepared high-relief dies to capture the intricate anatomical details of the four elephants and their riders, as well as the crisp epigraphy required on both faces. The typical diameter of sestertii from this emission ranges between 34 and 37 millimetres, with standard mass distributions centring around 25 to 28 grams, reflecting the heavy weight standard maintained by Tiberian mint administrators. Striking such large dies demanded considerable manual force from mint workmen, often resulting in slight flan irregularities, die shifts, or peripheral weakness that characterize authentic early imperial brass.

Obverse Iconography: The Consecrated Augustus in Elephant Quadriga

The obverse presents a magnificent ceremonial procession featuring the deified Augustus. Radiate and draped, Augustus sits in an ornate chariot or tensa drawn to the right by four elephants. Each elephant is guided by a mounted rider seated upon its neck. Augustus holds a laurel branch in his right hand and an upright sceptre in his left, symbols reflecting triumphant peace and celestial sovereignty. Drawing statues of deified emperors in elephant quadrigae had precedent in Roman triumphator iconography and consecration rituals, where elephants symbolized majesty, longevity, and apotheosis. The dedication DIVO AVGVSTO S P Q R curves along the exergual area and upper field, explicitly affirming that the divine honours were sanctioned by the Senate and the Roman people. Engraving nuances across surviving dies reveal subtle variations in the carriage decorations, the drapery folds of the riders, and the curvature of the elephants' trunks.

Reverse Typology: Senatorial Endorsement and Imperial Epigraphy

In deliberate contrast to the intricate pictorial scene on the obverse, the reverse of RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 62 adopts a strictly epigraphic and constitutional design. The centre is dominated by large, bold letters spelling S C, representing Senatus Consulto ('By Decree of the Senate'). Encircling the central field is Tiberius's official titulature, terminating in his tribunician designation. This design format was standard for Julio-Claudian aes issues produced at Rome, highlighting the traditional collaboration between the Princeps and the Senate in authorizing base-metal coinage. The presence of the dominant S C reiterated that while precious-metal coins were issued under imperial prerogative, the production of civic brass coinage remained formally anchored in senatorial authority.

Epigraphy and Titulature Analysis

The legends on this issue provide explicit administrative, genealogical, and chronological evidence. The obverse legend, DIVO AVGVSTO S P Q R, translates to 'To the Divine Augustus, the Senate and the Roman People', establishing the issue as a public dedication to Tiberius's adoptive father. On the reverse, the circumscription reads TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVST P M TR POT XXXVII. Expanding the abbreviations yields Tiberius Caesar Divi Augusti Filius Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, Tribunicia Potestate XXXVII ('Tiberius Caesar Augustus, son of the Divine Augustus, Supreme Pontiff, holding the Tribunician Power for the thirty-seventh time'). The explicit reference to Augustus as divus on both faces creates a direct ideological harmony across the coin, simultaneously legitimizing Tiberius's status as the son of a god and demonstrating his scrupulous filial piety.

Typological Chronology and Related Issues

The inclusion of TR POT XXXVII firmly dates the striking of this sestertius to the period between mid-AD 35 and mid-AD 36, during the final two years of Tiberius's life while he resided on the island of Capri. In the revised Roman Imperial Coinage typology, this issue is catalogued as RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 62. It forms part of a cohesive late-Tiberian commemorative series struck alongside similar elephant quadriga types bearing thirty-sixth (RIC 56) and thirty-eighth (RIC 68) tribunician dates. While minor die varieties exist with slight adjustments in letter spacing, exergual lines, or elephant proportions, the core formula remained uniform throughout the emission. It should be distinguished from earlier consecration types of Tiberius that featured divus Augustus seated on an ordinary curule chair or depicted within an architectural temple facade.

Circulation, Hoarding, and Archaeological Context

As an integral component of the empire's high-value token currency, sestertii of RIC 62 circulated widely across Italy and the western provinces, particularly along the Rhine and Danube frontiers where military garrisons received substantial coin payments. Because orichalcum had high intrinsic value relative to pure copper, these heavy pieces remained in active circulation for decades, frequently passing through commerce into the Flavian and Trajanic eras until progressive wear smoothed their relief. Archaeological recovery in mixed Julio-Claudian hoards and urban excavation sites confirms that Tiberius's divus Augustus commemoratives functioned as durable currency rather than non-circulating medals. Many surviving specimens display moderate to heavy wear on the elephant details and the highest points of Augustus's radiate crown, testifying to extensive monetary usage.

References

1. Roman Anniversary Issues: An Alternative Interpretation of the Numismatic Evidence. pp. 42-45
2. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Volume I: Augustus to Vitellius. pp. 134-135, nos. 102-108
3. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 62. ric.1(2).tib.62
4. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume I: From 31 BC to AD 69 (Revised Edition). p. 99, no. 62
5. Roman History and Coinage, 44 BC - AD 69. pp. 64-68