Quadrantes, Augustan

Chemical Compositions of Copper-Based Roman Coins. Augustan Quadrantes, ca. 

This chapter covers the analyses of 180 Augustan quadrantes which have not previously been reported. Analyses of 65 quadrantes published elsewhere (7,9) are included for completeness and because changes have been made in some of the compositions as a result of recalculation based on new standards. 

This removes about 10 ft of metal from the surface and exposes metal that is representative of the average composition of the coin. Fairly pure copper coins, such as Augustan quadrantes, are essentially homogeneous and can give very good analyses using x-ray fluorescence (XRF). 

Table I summarizes physical measurements for the Augustan quad-rantes. The average weight of quadrantes made in 9 and 8 B.C. is about...

In the Augustan quadrantes there are four highly preferred orientations approximately 1 00, 4 00, 7 00, and 10 00 (Figure 2). The orientations half way in between, namely 2 30, 5 30 etc., are almost totally... 

Table II. Average Weight, Size, Shape, and Density of Augustan Quadrantes...

Augustan quadrantes were produced during four years, ca. 9, 8, 5, and 4 B.C. One other denomination of essentially pure copper, the as, ... 

Pulcher, Taurus, and Regulus were probably the first three moneyers commissioned to produce Augustan quadrantes. Table III contains the... 

Although several assumptions have been made, they are consistent with known facts and seem reasonable. The chemical analyses of the 245 Augustan quadrantes give results that are entirely reasonable based on the above model. 

The presently accepted chronology of Augustan quadrantes is probably wrong. Both chemical analyses and size measurements indicate that the 8 B.c. quadrantes are likely to be older than the 9 b.c. quadrantes. Also some Augustan asses have been dated to 7 and 6 b.c., but their compositions are different from those of the quadrantes. It is concluded that the quadrantes, now tentatively dated at 9,8,5, and 4 b.c., were made in a 4-6 yr period during which no asses were minted (8). 

A.D. 41 group 41 B see the section on chemical compositions) have a die orientation very close to 6 30 (Appendix A). The mean orientation is 6 27 0 22. This means that great care was taken to orient the reverse die with respect to the obverse die during striking. This is in marked contrast to the striking of Augustan quadrantes in 9-4 b.c. (8), where the die orientations clustered about the four orientations, 1 00, 4 00, 7 00, and 10 00 (1 00 and 7 00 predominate). 

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