Trajan Bronze As, RIC II Trajan 476 (as)

Monetary Context and Denominational System

The monetary system of the early second century AD under Trajan operated on a bimetallic and base-metal balance established during the Augustan monetary reform and modified under the Flavians. Within this structured framework, the bronze and copper denominations handled everyday, low-value market transactions throughout the empire. The as stood as the traditional base unit of Roman aes coinage, tariffed at four asses to one sestertius, two asses to one orichalcum dupondius, and sixteen asses to the silver denarius. While the sestertius and dupondius were manufactured from orichalcum (a brass alloy of copper and zinc), the imperial as was struck on planchets of nearly pure copper, visually distinguishing it by its reddish tint even when wear degraded edge features or flan sizes. The issuance of RIC II Trajan 476 (as) between AD 103 and AD 111 coincided with massive imperial expenditures associated with the First and Second Dacian Wars, civil building programs in Rome, and the administration of the newly annexed territories. Trajan's monetary administrators systematically refreshed the bronze pool, melting down older worn issues and expanding production to maintain steady coin supply across Rome and western provincial garrisons.

Mint Operation and Flans

RIC II Trajan 476 (as) was produced centrally at the mint of Rome, which exercised almost exclusive authority over base-metal imperial aes coinage during this period. The physical production involved casting circular copper blanks followed by hot striking between hand-carved steel or bronze dies. Mint celators worked in regulated officinae, producing dies with remarkably consistent artistic standards, anatomical precision, and balanced epigraphy. Asses of this issue typically weigh between 9.5 and 11.5 grams, with mean diameters ranging between 26 and 28 millimeters, adhering to the standard copper as metrology restored under the Flavians and maintained through the Antonine era. Planchet preparation involved shearing poured copper ingots or casting individual flans, yielding slight beveling along the flan rim. Die alignment for Rome during Trajan's fifth consulship predominantly adhered to the traditional six o'clock (inverted) orientation, though slight axis rotation is observed due to manual die placement.

Obverse Portraiture and Execution

The obverse of RIC II Trajan 476 (as) presents a right-facing portrait bust of Trajan. The emperor is depicted wearing a laurel wreath tied at the nape of the neck with two ribbon ties descending toward the shoulders. Variations in bust execution exist across the issue: the portrait appears predominantly with bare shoulders, but certain verified dies incorporate slight drapery over the far shoulder or across the base of the neck. The portrait style reflects the mature iconographic phase of Trajan's reign, often categorized by art historians as the Decennalia or Optimo Principi style. The modeling emphasizes Trajan's austere, soldierly physiognomy: a broad forehead, straight nose, firm jaw, and neatly combed bangs falling straight across the brow in accordance with classicizing Julio-Claudian precedents. The modeling abandons the baroque excesses of the Flavians in favor of sober republican dignity, projecting stability, martial vigor, and unpretentious leadership.

Reverse Iconography and Symbolism

The reverse design features an oak wreath, known in antiquity as the corona civica, enclosing the large, prominent abbreviation S C (Senatus Consulto). Surrounding the outer perimeter of the wreath is the legend S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI. The corona civica was one of Rome's most venerated honorific distinctions, originally awarded during the Republic to soldiers who saved the life of a fellow citizen in battle. Augustus had accepted the corona civica to symbolize the salvation of Roman citizens from civil destruction, placing it prominently above the door of his Palatine residence. On Trajan's coinage, the oak wreath reasserts this civic virtue, presenting the emperor not merely as a conquering imperator in Dacia, but as the protector and preserver of the Roman populace. The placement of S C inside the wreath reinforces the harmonious cooperation between the princeps and the Senate, certifying that the coinage was produced under traditional senatorial oversight.

Epigraphy and Legends

The obverse legend reads: IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P. Rendered in the dative case (Traiano instead of Traianus), this inscription indicates dedication to the emperor: 'To the Emperor Caesar, son of Nerva, Trajan Augustus, conqueror of the Germans, conqueror of the Dacians, Pontifex Maximus, invested with Tribunician Power, Consul for the fifth time, Father of his Country.' The dative construction is characteristic of the series honoring Trajan as the benefactor of the state. The reverse inscription reads: S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, with S C displayed inside the wreath. This translates to: 'The Senate and the Roman People, to the Best of Princes; by Decree of the Senate.' The title Optimus Princeps ('Best of Princes') had been conferred informally upon Trajan early in his reign and was increasingly formalized in imperial titulature during his fifth consulship, highlighting his exceptional standing and moral comparison to Jupiter Optimus Maximus.

Typology and Chronological Classification

RIC II Trajan 476 (as) belongs to Trajan's expansive fifth consulship coinage, struck between AD 103 and AD 111. The starting boundary of AD 103 is firmly established by Trajan's assumption of COS V alongside his victory titles Germanicus (GER) and Dacicus (DAC), the latter earned following the conclusion of the First Dacian War in AD 102. The terminal boundary of AD 111 is fixed by his entry into his sixth consulship (COS VI) on January 1, AD 112. Within modern numismatic typology, Bernhard Woytek's corpus 'Die Reichspragung des Kaisers Traianus' categorizes this wreath reverse among the major civic issues of Trajan's mid-reign, distinguishing it from parallel issues that feature the oak wreath on dupondii or sestertii. While RIC II catalogs the type under number 476 as an as, related entries in the catalogue share identical legends with differing personifications (such as Roma, Annona, or Pax). The oak wreath type stands apart as a purely civic, titular composition unencumbered by standing deities.

Circulation Patterns and Wear Patterns

Copper asses of Trajan enjoyed widespread circulation throughout the western provinces of the Roman Empire, as well as peninsular Italy. Excavation records across Britannia, the Rhine and Danube limes, and the Iberian peninsula consistently show that Trajanic asses circulated actively for decades after their initial release, often remaining in low-value commercial circulation well into the late Antonine and Severan periods. Due to their active commercial utility, surviving specimens of RIC II Trajan 476 (as) commonly display moderate to heavy circulation wear, particularly across the high relief of Trajan's cheekbone, laurel ties, and the delicate foliage of the oak leaves. Corrosion or patina formation varies significantly depending on soil chemistry: river finds from the Tiber or northern frontiers often exhibit smooth, dark green or brown patinas, whereas agricultural finds frequently display porous surfaces caused by fertilizer salts and acidic soils.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol. III: Nerva to Hadrian. pp. 178-185
2. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC II Trajan 476 (as). ric.2.tr.476_as
3. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. II: Vespasian to Hadrian. p. 278, no. 476
4. Die Reichsprägung des Kaisers Traianus (98-117). Moneta Imperii Romani 14