Centenionalis — Aelia Flaccilla — Salus Reipublicae

Obverse: AEL FLACCILLA AVG, bust of Aelia Flaccilla in royal regalia

Reverse: SALVS REIPVBLICAE ("the welfare of the state"), Aelia Flaccilla standing with arms folded over chest

Mass: 3.87 g

Diameter: 24 mm

The reverse type SALVS REIPVBLICAE presents Aelia Flaccilla standing with her arms folded across her chest, a pose associated with modesty, piety, and the virtues expected of an imperial woman. The legend, meaning "the welfare of the state," connects the empress's role with the prosperity and stability of the empire, reflecting the importance of the imperial family in late Roman political messaging.

Aelia Flaccilla was the wife of Theodosius I and served as empress from AD 379 until her death in AD 386, becoming known for her Christian devotion and support of Nicene Christianity during a period of major religious transition in the Roman Empire. Bronze coinage featuring empresses became increasingly common in the later fourth century, using personifications and virtues to communicate the role of imperial women in supporting dynastic continuity and the welfare of the state.