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Æ19 - Augustus
| Issuer | Roman Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 27 BC - 14 AD |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Bare or lightly laureate head of Augustus facing right, depicted in the characteristic Julio-Claudian portrait style with finely rendered hair swept forward in distinct locks over the forehead. The bust is draped at the shoulder. The surrounding field bears the legend AVGVSTVS, partially visible around the portrait, with some areas obscured by the coin's irregular flan and patination. The die work reflects the provincial Roman style of Colonia Patricia, combining Roman iconographic conventions with local engraving traditions. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
RPC I 54 is a provincial bronze struck at Thessalonica in Macedonia, one of the few Greek cities granted the privilege of continued local coinage under Augustus. The issue reflects a carefully managed imperial policy toward provincial mints — Rome permitted civic bronze to circulate locally while reserving silver for centralized control, a division that kept provincial economies functional without diluting the denarius system.
Thessalonica had backed Antony at Philippi and navigated the aftermath shrewdly, cultivating loyalty to the eventual victor. Its continued minting rights were, in part, a reward for that political flexibility.