Silver content of provincial tetradrachm?

[sokol_1993]

Hi Numisforum,

I have been looking for the silver content of Roman provincial tetradrachm (Antioch, Alexandria), but couldn't find it anywhere, while that value for the denarius is very readily available. Is there an explanation for this, and does anyone have this value? Thanks!

[Marsyas Mike]

Here's an article on that topic:

The Silver Coinage of Roman Syria Under the Julio-Claudian Emperors

Kevin Butcher and Matthew Ponting

Analyses of 71 Roman provincial silver coins of the Julio-Claudian emperors (27 BC–AD 68) minted at Caesarea in Cappadocia and Antioch and Tyre in Syria are discussed in this paper. The finenesses of the alloys are presented and it is proposed that there was a logical relationship between the standards used for Caesarea and Antioch. Trace element profiles and selected lead isotope analyses help to characterize the products of the different mints, and also demonstrate that one particular issue of coinage, normally attributed to a mint in Syria, was probably produced at Caesarea in Cappadocia. During this period minting of silver at Tyre was discontinued and trace elements suggest that some of the later Antiochene coinage may have been produced from recycled Tyrian silver

https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/classics/intranets/staff/butcher/publications/levant_article.pdf

[kapphnwn]

"The Metrology of the Roman Silver Coinage" in three volumes by DR Walker covers the entire Roman provincial silver coinage (as well as the Imperial from Augustus through to Uranius Antoninus There is a caveat. This book uses the XRF analysis which can be slightly off if not used with care. However for the bulk of the Roman silver coinage it remains the only source. 

I have a spare vol I and III 

[Al Kowsky]

I can't speak for the Roman-Egyptian tetradrachms, however, I can give you some practical numbers on the tetradrachms of Roman-Syria. All these numbers are an actual percentage of pure silver in the tetradrachms of the emperors listed. This data was published by Richard McAlee, in his book The Coins of Roman Antioch, copyright 2007, & he used the findings of R.D. Walker, using x-ray fluorescence. One thing is obvious from these numbers, there was a steady debasement of the tetradrachms from silver to billon.

Antony/Cleopatra 80.66 %, Antony/Tyche (drachm) 90 %, Augustus/Tyche seated 78.43 %, Tiberius 65.75 %, Caligula 67.75 %, Claudius 82.50 %, Nero AD 56/57 63.16 %, Nero AD 59/63 79.39 %, Galba 85.15 %, Vespasian 81.00 %, Nerva 88.79 %, Trajan AD 98-108, 85.67 %, Trajan AD 109-117, 65.24 %, Hadrian 69.10 %, Marcus Aurelius 80.00 %, Septimius Severus 59.81 %, Caracalla 35.59 %, Elagabalus, course style 19.40 %, fine style 32.31 %, Gordian III AD 238/9, 35 %, AD 240,24.30 %, Philip I AD 244-45, 23.63 %, AD 249, 16.58 %, Trajan Decius 14.99 %, Trebonianus Gallus 10.77 %.

 

[El Cazador]

4 hours ago, Al Kowsky said:

I can't speak for the Roman-Egyptian tetradrachms, however, I can give you some practical numbers on the tetradrachms of Roman-Syria. All these numbers are an actual percentage of pure silver in the tetradrachms of the emperors listed. This data was published by Richard McAlee, in his book The Coins of Roman Antioch, copyright 2007, & he used the findings of R.D. Walker, using x-ray fluorescence. One thing is obvious from these numbers, there was a steady debasement of the tetradrachms from silver to billon.

Antony/Cleopatra 80.66 %, Antony/Tyche (drachm) 90 %, Augustus/Tyche seated 78.43 %, Tiberius 65.75 %, Caligula 67.75 %, Claudius 82.50 %, Nero AD 56/57 63.16 %, Nero AD 59/63 79.39 %, Galba 85.15 %, Vespasian 81.00 %, Nerva 88.79 %, Trajan AD 98-108, 85.67 %, Trajan AD 109-117, 65.24 %, Hadrian 69.10 %, Marcus Aurelius 80.00 %, Septimius Severus 59.81 %, Caracalla 35.59 %, Elagabalus, course style 19.40 %, fine style 32.31 %, Gordian III AD 238/9, 35 %, AD 240,24.30 %, Philip I AD 244-45, 23.63 %, AD 249, 16.58 %, Trajan Decius 14.99 %, Trebonianus Gallus 10.77 %.

 

What about Domitian Tetradrachms?

[David Atherton]

I have this book. If there are any issues you're interested in covered by it, let me know!

[El Cazador]

11 minutes ago, David Atherton said:

I have this book. If there are any issues you're interested in covered by it, let me know!

Thanks @David Athertonwhat about Domitian with Tyche and Orontes on the reverse?

[David Atherton]

10 minutes ago, El Cazador said:

Thanks @David Athertonwhat about Domitian with Tyche and Orontes on the reverse?

None are specifically referenced. Domitian's Syrian tets generally range from 68% to 78% silver bullion content.

[Al Kowsky]

15 hours ago, El Cazador said:

What about Domitian Tetradrachms?

McAlee lists the silver percentage of Domitian Tets at 81.50 % pure silver, virtually the same as Vespasian's. Not all the Syrian mints struck an emperor's tetradrachms at the same fineness, as the two coins of Macrinus pictured below illustrate. The Tet from Emesa looks to be about the same fineness as the coins from Antioch, 29.23 %. The Tet from Cyrrhestica Beroea (modern day Aleppo,Syria) appears to be of finer metal; possibly they were still using the same fineness of Caracalla's Tets, 35.59 %.

Emesa, Syria. Macrinus, AD 217-218. Prieur 972             Cyrrhestica Beroea, Syria. Macrinus, AD 217-218.                                                                                                                                                             Prieur 890

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by Al Kowsky

[David Atherton]

6 hours ago, Al Kowsky said:

McAlee lists the silver percentage of Domitian Tets at 81.50 % pure silver, virtually the same as Vespasian's. Not all the Syrian mints struck an emperor's tetradrachms at the same fineness, as the two coins of Macrinus pictured below illustrate. The Tet from Emesa looks to be about the same fineness as the coins from Antioch, 29.23 %. The Tet from Cyrrhestica Beroea (modern day Aleppo,Syria) appears to be of finer metal; possibly they were still using the same fineness of Caracalla's Tets, 35.59 %.

Emesa, Syria. Macrinus, AD 217-218. Prieur 972             Cyrrhestica Beroea, Syria. Macrinus, AD 217-218.                                                                                                                                                             Prieur 890

 

Interesting that McAlee has a slightly higher percentage than Butcher and Ponting. I wonder if he is citing Walker?

[Al Kowsky]

21 hours ago, David Atherton said:

Interesting that McAlee has a slightly higher percentage than Butcher and Ponting. I wonder if he is citing Walker?

McAlee did use Walker's data in his book, however, he used an important disclaimer when discussing the metrology of the coins. By using the x-ray fluorescence method, the silver content tends to be overstated since the surface of the coin is being used. We know that many of these coins went through a pickling process, which will draw more silver to the surface of the coin compared to the core of the coin. 

[kapphnwn]

I just got the book mentioned by @David Atherton I actually ordered it before this thread got started.  Going to start reading it soon. So far this year 1 coin and 32 or is it 33 books?????

 😁

Edited March 25, 2023 by kapphnwn