Elagabalus, denarius, silver, reign 218-222, struck 218-222

Elagabalus, denarius, silver, reign 218-222, struck 218-222, weight 3.12 g, diameter 19 mm. Obverse: laureate and draped bust right with legend IMP ANTONINVS AVG. Reverse: Roma seated left on shield, holding Victory in extended right hand and spear in left, legend P M TR P II COS II P P. Strike: Rome mint, centrally struck on a slightly irregular flan, alignment near 6 h with full border dots visible. Toning: light, even silver-grey with minimal patination. References: RIC IV 16; BMC RE 123; Cohen 276; RSC 176. Issued early in Elagabalus’s reign, this denarius reflects the emperor’s attempt to associate his controversial rule with traditional Roman virtues. The obverse proclaims his official titles, asserting legitimacy after the deposition of Macrinus. The reverse depicts Roma, symbolising the eternal city and military success, and reinforces continuity with earlier Severan issues. Struck at Rome, the coin circulated widely throughout the empire, providing contemporary evidence of Elagabalus’s titulature—already noting his second tribunician power and second consulship—and illustrating how imperial coinage served as a primary medium for political messaging in the early third century.