Faustina Friday – Faustina the Younger’s Beckmann Type 5 Hairstyle

[Roman Collector]

Friday felicitations, fellow Faustina fanatics! Today we're going to examine Faustina's simplest – and one of the most common – coiffures, the Beckmann Type 5 hairstyle. This represents the fifth in my ongoing series about Faustina the Younger's ten hairdos. I have previously written about the Beckmann Type 3, Type 7, Type 8, and Type 9 styles.

Dating the Type 5 Hairstyle

The earliest Type 5 denarii have the reverse type of seated Concordia. This feature allowed Curtis Clay to analyze the Reka Devnia hoard in the 1980s and determine the hairstyle was introduced 81% of the way into Pius's TR P XVIII (10 December 153 – 9 December 154 CE), and thus sometime in autumn of 154 CE.[1] He later confirmed this date by analyzing British hoard data.[2] Beckmann does not give such a precise date for the introduction of the hairstyle, but does note the Type 5 portrait appears on coins of the FELICITAS reverse type that comprised Faustina's contribution to a large shipment of middle bronzes to Britain in 155 CE.[3] The portrait is still in use on the SALVTI AVGVSTAE aureus type issued shortly after the birth of Faustina's twins on 31 August, 161. It even reappears on an aureus of the LAETITIA type,[4] issued to commemorate the birth of Marcus Annius Verus in late 162 CE,[5] after the Types 7, 8, and 9 hairstyles had already been introduced. I have noted this hairstyle's appearance on a denarius of the IVNONI REGINAE type of 162-164 CE, after the "all round legend" obverse inscriptions had fallen out of use.

The upside of all of this is that the empress seems to have adopted this simple hairstyle in the late summer or early fall of 154 CE, which serves as a terminus post quem. We know that she changed her hairstyle shortly after the birth of her twins 31 August 161. Following their birth, Faustina seems to have changed her hairstyle in rapid succession, with Types 7, 8, and 9 hairstyles in nearly simultaneous usage at the Rome mint. However, the birth of her twins cannot serve as a terminus ante quem for the Type 5 coiffure on her coinage because earlier portrait types may be used anachronistically after the introduction of later portrait types. Beckmann's die-linkage study of the aurei of Faustina the Younger demonstrates a variety of portrait types in use simultaneously, even with the same reverse type. Therefore, the use of Faustina's hairstyles in dating her imperial issues must be done cautiously. The hairstyles are more useful for assigning a relative chronology than for assigning an absolute chronology. On provincial issues, all bets are off, and dated provincials may depict the empress in hairstyles that are several years out of date when compared to the imperial series.

As Janet Stephens's work has demonstrated, no actual cutting of the hair was involved with each of these styles; it was simply a matter of how the hair was combed and braided and tied together. In theory, Faustina could have had her ornatrix style her hair differently on any given day.

How to Recognize the Type 5 Hairstyle

This coiffure represents a great simplification in the empress's manner of hairdressing. The hair is parted in the middle and each side is drawn back, covering the top of the ears, into a small chignon at the nape of the neck. At least six sculpted replicas of Faustina wearing this hairstyle are known, but their identification is complicated because Faustina's daughter Lucilla was also depicted with this coiffure.[6] Because the Pozzuoli bust in the British Museum is the most accessible online and because it has been photographed from multiple angles, I have chosen to illustrate the hairstyle with this example.

Marble Bust of the Empress Faustina the Younger. Item no. 1805,0703.101, British Museum collection.[7]

There is a technical discrepancy between the chignon as depicted in the sculptural portraits and the chignon as typically depicted in numismatic portraits. The sculptures depict a woven pattern in the chignon, which corresponds to Janet Stephens’s experimental reconstruction of the hairstyle.[8] Professor Stephens has made a YouTube video recreating two of Faustina the Younger’s hairstyles. The first in the video is the Type 1 hairstyle, the second is the Type 5 hairstyle under consideration. It is so simple, it takes up only the final 2¼ minutes of the 17+ minute video (starting at 14:55).

https://youtu.be/M_HPjg-f8iQ
 

In contrast, the numismatic portraits almost always depict the chignon as a simple coil. It appears that the engravers in the Rome mint originally tried to replicate the sculptural portrait. Beckmann notes an interesting bust type, known to him from a single coin in the British Museum, which shows Faustina's chignon with "a bold woven pattern rather than the coiled bun normally seen in type 5 portraits."[9] This is illustrated below.

 

Sestertius featuring an early depiction of the Beckmann Type 5 hairstyle (154 CE), British Museum collection, BMCRE Pius 2184.

Beckmann further notes[10] the portrait ...

... reflects exactly the appearance of the bun we see on sculpted portraits of Faustina. The detail of the braiding and the proportions of the bun to the head indicate that the die engraver had access to a sculpted Type 5 portrait as a model. It is difficult to say why this manner of engraving Faustina's bun was not carried out on other obverse dies with Type 5 portraits. Possibly the cutting of the braiding of the bun, with its rectilinear shapes intersecting at right (or near-right) angles, was too difficult and time-consuming, or too prone to error (such as through slippage of the engraving tool), to employ in normal die engraving for this portrait type.

There then appears the usual Type 5 portrait seen on numerous reverse types issued thereafter. Here are a few from my collection, chosen because they are in a sufficient state of preservation to demonstrate the portrait style. These are only a fraction of Faustina's coinage on which the Type 5 hairstyle appears.

Obverse inscription FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL (about June 152 through December 155 CE)

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman AR denarius, 3.33 g, 17.1 mm, 1 h.
Rome, autumn 154-early 155 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL, bare-headed and draped bust right (Beckmann Type 5 hairstyle).
Rev: CONCORDIA, Concordia seated left, holding flower and resting elbow on cornucopiae set on globe under chair.
Refs: RIC 502a(3); BMCRE 1088; Cohen 54; RCV 4704; Strack 506; CRE 168.
Notes: I have discussed the chronology of this issue elsewhere.

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman AR denarius, 2.95 g, 17.1 mm, 1 h.
Rome, autumn 154-early 155 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL, bare-headed and draped bust left (Beckmann Type 5 hairstyle).
Rev: CONCORDIA, Concordia seated left, holding flower and resting elbow on cornucopiae set on globe under chair.
Refs: RIC 502b; BMCRE 1086 n.; Cohen 55; RCV –; Strack 506; CRE 171.
Notes: I have discussed the chronology of this issue elsewhere.

Faustina Jr, 147-175 CE.
Roman Æ as or dupondius, 11.41 g, 23.8 mm.
Rome, autumn 154 - December 155 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: FELICITAS SC, Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus, left hand on hip.
Refs: RIC (Pius) 1395; BMCRE 2187; Cohen 108; RCV –; Strack 1317; Walker no. 436, p. XXXVIII.
Notes: This is a "coin of British association," issued exclusively for use in Britain.

Obverse inscription FAVSTINA AVGVSTA AVG PII F (January 156-August 156 CE)

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman AR denarius; 3.64 g, 17.1 mm, 5 h.
Rome, January - August 156 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA AVG PII F, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann Type 5 hairstyle).
Rev: PVDICITIA, Pudicitia standing left, sacrificing over lit altar to left
Refs: RIC 508a; BMCRE 1092-93; Cohen 184; RCV 4707; Strack 513; CRE 207.

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman Æ as or dupondius, 9.80 g, 24.1 mm, 6 h.
Rome, January - August 156 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA AVG PII F, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann Type 5 hairstyle).
Rev: S C, Diana, draped, standing front, head left, holding out arrow in right hand and resting left on bow, set on ground.
Refs: RIC 1405c (erroneous obverse inscription); BMCRE p.382 note after no. 2194; Cohen 211 (erroneous obverse inscription); RCV –; Strack 1326.
Notes: I have previously discussed this reverse type and its dating here.

Obverse inscription FAVSTINA AVGVSTA; reverse inscription AVGVSTI PII FIL (August 156 to late 157 CE)

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman AR denarius, 3.31 g, 16.3 mm, 6 h.
Rome, August 156 - late 157 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann Type 5 hairstyle).
Rev: AVGVSTI PII FIL, Concordia standing left, holding patera and cornucopiae.
Refs: RIC 496; BMCRE 1103-05; Cohen 21; RCV 4701; Strack 516; CRE 162.
Notes: I have previously discussed these reverse types elsewhere.

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 29.89 g, 31.0 mm, 6 h.
Rome, August 156 - late 157 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann Type 5 hairstyle).
Rev: AVGVSTI PII FIL S C, Spes standing left, holding flower and raising skirt.
Refs: RIC 1371; BMCRE 2200-01; Cohen 25; RCV 4711; Strack 1332.

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman Æ as or dupondius, 12.05 g, 25.3 mm, 12 h.
Rome, August 156 - late 157 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann Type 5 hairstyle).
Rev: AVGVSTI PII FIL S C, Venus Victrix standing facing, head left, holding Victory on extended right hand and resting left hand on shield, set on helmet.
Refs: RIC 1389a; BMCRE 2202; Cohen 17; Sear 4721; Strack 1333.

Obverse inscription FAVSTINA AVGVSTA (late 157-175 CE)

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 26.31 g, 29 mm, 12 h.
Rome, 159 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann Type 5 hairstyle).
Rev: IVNONI LVCINAE, Juno standing left between two children, holding a third child on left arm.
Refs: RIC 1649; BMCRE 918; Cohen 136; RCV 5277; MIR 18.
Notes: Issued to commemorate the birth of Faustina's daughter Fadilla in 159 CE.

Faustina Junior, 147 – 175 CE.
Roman AR denarius, 3.32 g, 17.2 mm, 6 h.
Rome, December 160 - early 161 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann Type 5 hairstyle).
Rev: FECVND AVGVSTAE, Fecunditas facing, head left, between two children, holding two more in hand.
Refs: RIC 676; BMCRE 89-90; Cohen 95; Strack 520e; RCV 5251; CRE 178; MIR 10-4/10a.

Notes: Issued to commemorate the birth of Faustina's daughter Cornificia in December 160 CE. Note the use of the "all round legend" characteristic of Antonine coinage from December 160 - c. 163 CE.

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 24.65 g, 30.4 mm, 12 h.
Rome, Late summer – early autumn 161 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann Type 5 hairstyle).
Rev: SAECVLI FELICIT SC, draped throne on which there are two infant boys, with stars above their heads.
Refs: RIC 1665; BMCRE 936; Cohen 193; RCV 5282; MIR27-6/10a.
Notes: Issued to commemorate the birth of Faustina's twin boys, Titus Aurelius Fulvus Antoninus and Commodus on 31 August 161 CE.

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman AR denarius, 3.10 g, 17.7 mm, 5 h.
Rome, Late summer – early autumn 161 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: TEMPOR FELIC, female figure, standing left, holding an infant in each arm; at either side, two children standing.
Refs: RIC 719; BMC 156-157; RSC 221; RCV 5263; CRE 179; MIR 31-4/10a.
Notes: Issued to commemorate the birth of Faustina's twin boys, Titus Aurelius Fulvus Antoninus and Commodus on 31 August 161 CE. The coin also well illustrates the "all-round legends" as used December 160 - 163 CE.

I'm sure you have some coins depicting the empress with this simple hairstyle. Let's see them! Feel welcome to post comments, coins, or anything you feel is relevant!

~~~

Notes

1. Curtis L. Clay, personal communication, 13 September 2021.

2. Clay, Curtis L. "The Supply of Bronze Coins to Britain in the Second Century." Numismatic Chronicle, vol. 149, 1989, p. 216.

3. Beckmann, Martin, Faustina the Younger: Coinage, Portraits, and Public Image, A.N.S. Numismatic Studies 43, American Numismatic Society, New York, 2021, p. 56. Beckmann cites Walker, D. R. Roman Coins from the Sacred Spring at Bath. Oxford University Committee for Archaeology, Fascicle 2 of Monograph No. 16, Oxford, 1988, pp. 294-95.

4. Beckmann, op. cit., figure 4.9, p. 60.

5. This had been suggested by Szaivert but later definitively demonstrated by Beckmann’s die-linkage study of the aurei of Faustina II. See Szaivert, Wolfgang, Die Münzprägung der Kaiser Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus und Commodus (161/192), Moneta Imperii Romani 18. Vienna, 1989, p. 230, and Beckmann, op. cit., pp. 60-61.

6. Fittschen, Klaus, Die Bildnistypen der Faustina minor und die Fecunditas Augustae, AbhGöttingen (Folge 3) 126 (Göttingen 1982), 51 ff. as cited in Beckmann, Martin, Faustina the Younger: Coinage, Portraits, and Public Image, A.N.S. Numismatic Studies 43, American Numismatic Society, New York, 2021, p. 83.

7. "Marble Bust of the Empress Faustina the Younger." The British Museum, https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1805-0703-101. Accessed 21 May 2023.

8. Stevens, J. "Ancient Roman hairdressing: on (hair)pins and needles." Journal of Roman Archaeology 21 (2008): 110-132, figure 6.

9. Beckmann, op. cit., p. 57.

10. Beckmann, op. cit., p. 84.

Edited June 2, 2023 by Roman Collector
Formatting

[lrbguy]

I was going to ask if this hairstyle type in silver was limited to pieces with the PII AVG FIL inscription, but since you show some later obverse types I am going to take a leap and dare to imagine that I have something in that line. 

Here it is for FAVSTINA AVGVSTA with a DIANA LVCIF reverse.

 

Here it is with a SAECVLI reverse,

but this next is a variation on that with the same reverse  and main hairstyle, but wearing a stephane

(does that addition move it away from the type 5 hairstyle, since the actual coiffure styling is not changed by the addition?  Then again, I don't know how they altered the style to keep the crown in place.

I wonder if this style is to be especially associated with her childbearing/rearing years:

 

 

 

 

Edited June 2, 2023 by lrbguy
fixed a couple of typos

[Roman Collector]

1 hour ago, lrbguy said:

I was going to ask if this hairstyle type in silver was limited to pieces with the PII AVG FIL inscription, but since you show some later obverse types I am going to take a leap and dare to imagine that I have something in that line. 

Here it is for FAVSTINA AVGVSTA with a DIANA LVCIF reverse.

 

Here it is with a SAECVLI reverse,

but this next is a variation on that with the same reverse  and main hairstyle, but wearing a stephane

(does that addition move it away from the type 5 hairstyle, since the actual coiffure styling is not changed by the addition?  Then again, I don't know how they altered the style to keep the crown in place.

I wonder if this style is to be especially associated with her childbearing/rearing years:

 

 

 

 

All excellent examples of this hairstyle! I've often wondered if she purposely chose a low maintenance hairstyle because of all the rugrats she had, but she was the empress, after all, and had plenty of slaves to help her style her hair and take care of the children. 

[Marsyas Mike]

Great post as always, @Roman Collector.  I have some of the types you posted, but state of preservation is an issue with most of my collection.  Here are a few that have some detail on the hair-do:

Sestertius with Diana RIC 1383b:

Denarius with Pudicitia RIC 508a: 

 

[Ryro]

Even with help, taking care of a dozen children, in whatever degree the Augusta did, can't have been easy. Good thinking that it could be part of the reason for her low maintenance hair style. Another could be that being a stoic, Marcus liked her more natural looking. 

 

[Roman Collector]

3 hours ago, Marsyas Mike said:

Great post as always, @Roman Collector.  I have some of the types you posted, but state of preservation is an issue with most of my collection.  Here are a few that have some detail on the hair-do:

Sestertius with Diana RIC 1383b:

Denarius with Pudicitia RIC 508a: 

 

Thank you, as always, for reading and for your kind words, @Marsyas Mike! It's always a pleasure to see the specimens in your collection! I particularly like the PVDICITIA denarius. That FAVSTINA AVGVSTA AVG PII F inscription was only used for a short while (January to about August, 156 CE) and isn't even listed among the obverse inscriptions in Sear. There are only a few issues with this inscription, too: a VENVS aureus, the PVDICITIA denarius, the S C with Diana sestertii and middle bronzes, and a IVNO seated holding a statuette of the Three Graces middle bronze.

I'm not convinced the CONCORDIA seated denarius in Stuttgart (RSC 55c; BMC p. 166*) is genuine. Strack illustrates it with a plaster cast and I haven't been able to confirm its existence otherwise. Moreover, the CONCORDIA denarius with the type 5 coiffure and the FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL inscription was probably out of production in January 156, when the FAVSTINA AVGVSTA AVG PII F inscription came into use. I suspect that the Stuttgart specimen may be an ancient forgery.

Similarly, the existence of the VENVS quinarius aureus (Cohen 245) is doubtful; Strack didn't find it in the BnF collection in Paris and I can't confirm its existence with internet searches.

1 hour ago, Ryro said:

Even with help, taking care of a dozen children, in whatever degree the Augusta did, can't have been easy. Good thinking that it could be part of the reason for her low maintenance hair style. Another could be that being a stoic, Marcus liked her more natural looking. 

 

That coin nicely illustrates this no-nonsense, low-maintenance hairstyle -- perfect for dealing with six rugrats!

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

I still have no Faustinas (unless some are kicking around in the 1990's bulk provincial bag or the lost Asses bag) 🫥.