Aurelian – Antoninianus – Sol and captives

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Obverse Description:

IMP AVRELIANVS AVG – Aurelian Radiate, cuirassed bust right

Obverse Translation:

Imperator Aurelianus Augustus – Supreme commander (Imperator), Aurelian, emperor (Augustus).

Reverse Description:

ORIENS AVG – Sol advancing left, stepping on captive, raising hand and holding globe, seated captive on right

Reverse Translation:

Oriens Augusti – The rising sun of the emperor (Augustus).

Ruler:

Coinage:

,

Minted:

Year 270 - 275 AD

Ticinum

Denomination / Metal:

Antoninianus

Billon

Diameter / Weight:

mm

gr

Catalogue:

RIC V-1 254; Cohen 153

Observations:

The Aurelian Antoninianus (RIC 254) is a quintessential “military” coin, struck during a feverish period of Roman reconstruction. Minted around AD 274–275, it celebrates the climax of Aurelian’s reign: the total reunification of the Roman Empire and the elevation of Sol Invictus (the Unconquered Sun) as the supreme protector of the state.

1. The Historical Context: The “Restorer of the World”

By AD 274, Aurelian had earned his title Restitutor Orbis. He had crushed the Palmyrene Empire in the East and the Gallic Empire in the West. Rome was one again, but the economy was in ruins and the people were weary of decades of civil war.+1

To unify the fractured empire, Aurelian didn’t just use the sword; he used religion and currency. He established Sol Invictus as the main god of the Roman pantheon, providing a single, “universal” deity that soldiers from Syria to Britain could worship. This coin was the primary vehicle for that propaganda.

2. The Reverse: Sol and the Captives

The reverse of RIC 254 is a powerful piece of political theater. It depicts Sol Invictus standing left, his right hand raised in a gesture of blessing or command, and his left hand holding a globe (symbolizing world dominion).

  • The Captives: At Sol’s feet sit one or two bound captives. These represent the defeated enemies of Rome—likely the Goths, Palmyrenes, or Germans.
  • The Message: The imagery tells the citizen that the Sun God himself has delivered Rome’s enemies into Aurelian’s hands. It is a “victory” coin that asserts the divine right of the Emperor to rule a pacified world.
  • The Legend: ORIENS AVG (The Rising [Sun] of the Emperor). This equated the rising sun with the “new dawn” Aurelian had brought to the Empire.

3. The Monetary Reform: The “XXI” Mark

If you look at the bottom (exergue) of your coin, you will likely see the letters XXI (or the Greek equivalent KA).

  • Aurelian’s Reform: Before Aurelian, the “Antoninianus” had become almost pure bronze. Aurelian mandated that these coins contain 5% silver.
  • The 20:1 Ratio: The “XXI” indicates a ratio of 20 parts copper to 1 part silver. This was a “guarantee” of value, an attempt to restore public trust in the currency. When these coins were new, they were silver-washed and looked like bright, shining silver.

4. Technical Details & References

  • Obverse: Features Aurelian wearing a radiate crown (the spikes representing the rays of the sun). This crown specifically denotes the “Antoninianus” denomination (worth two Denarii).
  • RIC 254: From Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. V, Part I.
  • Cohen 153: Refers to the classic 19th-century catalog by Henry Cohen.