Titus Dupondius, RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Titus 203

Monetary Context and Denominational Role

Under the Flavian dynasty, the imperial bronze and brass coinage continued to operate within the established monetary system established by Augustus. The dupondius occupied a vital intermediate position within base-metal transactions, valued at two asses, half an orichalcum sestertius, or one-eighth of a silver denarius. In daily urban commerce across Rome and the Italian peninsula, dupondii and asses met the constant demand for small change, facilitating low-value retail trade, market purchases, and state disbursements. While sestertii provided expansive fields for ambitious imperial propaganda and monumental architecture, dupondii carried parallel themes in a more functional everyday medium. The issue catalogued as RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Titus 203 belongs to a prominent group of mid-value aes struck after Titus assumed sole authority following the death of Vespasian in AD 79. Struck in brass (orichalcum), the physical alloy distinguished it from the pure copper of the as, while its radiate crown served as an unambiguous visual identifier for literate and non-literate users alike.

Mint Location, Alloy, and Technical Production

The entire production of RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Titus 203 is attributed to the imperial mint at Rome. Unlike the complex western provincial mint networks that operated during the Civil Wars of AD 68 to 69 and intermittently under early Vespasianic rule, the striking of bronze denominations under Titus was heavily centralized in the capital. The alloy specified in standard typologies is copper-alloy, conventionally defined as orichalcum, an alloy of copper and zinc. Orichalcum allowed mint authorities to strike coins that were lighter than pure copper asses while retaining double the value, supported by the intrinsic worth and bright golden appearance of the fresh brass. Flavian dupondii of this period typically conform to a target weight standard centered around 11 to 14 grams, with diameters usually ranging between 26 and 28 millimeters. Blanks were cast in open or two-part molds and individually hammered between engraved iron dies. Die alignment at the mint of Rome during this period was commonly executed with a regular vertical (six o'clock) or near-vertical axis, reflecting disciplined technical standards within the central officinae.

Obverse Iconography and Imperial Portraiture

The obverse of this dupondius displays the bare-necked head of Titus facing right, wearing the radiate crown of the sun god Sol. The radiate crown had become the definitive denomination mark of the dupondius since the monetary reforms of Nero, preventing confusion with the laureate as, which was often close in diameter and weight when worn. Flavian portraiture under Titus maintained a realistic, fleshy profile inherited from Vespasianic verism, marked by a broad jaw, prominent brow, and tightly cropped curls, but softened somewhat by idealized imperial dignity. The bust is depicted without drapery or cuirass, focusing visual attention on the sovereign's facial features and the solar rays of the crown. The die cutters executed the relief with clean, firm strokes, positioning the portrait comfortably within the circular border of dots.

Reverse Iconography: Salus Augusta

The reverse iconography presents the goddess Salus seated facing left on an ornate, high-backed throne. In her extended right hand, she holds a patera, a shallow libation dish used in formal sacrificial offerings. Her left hand rests at her side or cradles a sceptre, expressing tranquil majesty and divine benevolence. Salus embodied safety, health, and general welfare, both of the reigning princeps and of the Roman people as a collective body. In classical Roman religion, Salus was frequently associated with public prayers for the emperor's recovery from illness or preservation from danger. In the context of AD 80 to 81, the appearance of Salus on the imperial aes carried potent political resonance, assuring citizens of divine protection and the restoration of civic equilibrium following the catastrophic natural and urban crises that confronted the initial months of Titus's brief reign.

Epigraphic Evidence and Inscriptions

The obverse legend reads IMP T CAES VESP AVG P M TR P COS VIII, expanding to Imperator Titus Caesar Vespasianus Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, Tribunicia Potestate, Consul Octavum. This rigorous imperial titulature opens with the praenomen of imperator, followed by Titus's inherited imperial names and his senior religious role as Pontifex Maximus. The inclusion of COS VIII indicates that Titus had entered his eighth consulship, which commenced on January 1, AD 80. The reverse is inscribed SALVS AVG, an abbreviation for Salus Augusta, dedicating the coin to the imperial personification of health and public security. Flanking the seated goddess in the lower field are the large letters S C, signifying Senatus Consulto ('by decree of the Senate'). This formulaic affirmation was universal on regular Roman base-metal coinage, signifying the traditional constitutional role of the Senate in sanctioning aes output even as production remained under direct imperial control.

Typology and Chronological Classification

Within the revised classification of Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC II, Part 1, second edition), this specific emission is catalogued as Titus 203, replacing older listings in the 1926 first edition where Flavian aes issues were grouped without modern chronological precision. The definitive dating evidence is provided by the consular iteration COS VIII alongside the tribunician titles. Titus held his eighth consulship throughout AD 80 and retained the designation into AD 81 until his untimely death on September 13, AD 81. The emission of RIC 203 is therefore securely placed within the narrow window of AD 80 to 81. Parallel issues carrying identical reverse types were struck in adjacent denominations, notably the sestertius and as, but RIC 203 is uniquely characterized by the combination of the radiate crown, the dupondius standard, and the specific COS VIII titulature.

Circulation, Wear, and Archaeological Context

Dupondii struck at Rome under Titus circulated extensively across Italy and throughout the western provinces, including Roman Britain, Gaul, the Rhineland, and the Iberian Peninsula. Because orichalcum and copper denominations were non-precious and possessed a high velocity of circulation, they experienced substantial physical wear over decades of daily retail handling. Flavian aes remained a core component of circulating base-metal currency well into the second century AD, frequently recovered in archaeological settlement strata and hoards alongside coins of Trajan, Hadrian, and the Antonines. Archaeological finds from military camps and civic centers demonstrate that dupondii such as RIC 203 often continued to change hands until their legends were heavily smoothed, attesting to the sustained utility of Flavian brass coinage long after the dynasty had passed.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Volume II: Vespasian to Domitian. pp. 260-275
2. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Titus 203. ric.2_1(2).tit.203
3. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume II, Part 1: From AD 69 to AD 96: Vespasian to Domitian. pp. 215-225, no. 203