Chris Howgego’s RPC IV.4 is a substantial and much-anticipated addition to the Roman Provincial Coinage series. This volume could not have taken its current shape without the integrated support of RPC online and the Oxford Roman Economy Project, notably its Coin Hoards of the Roman Empire component (see O. Hekster, JRS 112 (2022), 332–8). In terms of documentation, it includes the Demetrio Collection of Alexandrian coins in Athens alongside the ten core RPC collections (London, Paris, Berlin, Munich, Vienna, Copenhagen, New York, Oxford, Cambridge and Glasgow), and further integrates many specimens from the long-dispersed Dattari Collection, documented through recent auction sales and Savio’s published rubbings of previously unknown coins. The latest auction sales whose Dattari specimens have been added to the catalogue are Classical Numismatic Group Triton XXI (Staffieri collection, 9 January 2018) and Naville Numismatics 84 (10 October 2023). The rubbings are catalogued according to A. Savio (ed.), Catalogo completo della collezione Dattari Numi Augg. Alexandrini (2007). While following the standard RPC chronological structure by regnal year, RPC IV.4 benefits from a regional focus that enables deeper interpretation than in earlier volumes.
The opening chapter (Egypt and Its Coinage, 1–8) discusses the province’s closed monetary system, the provincial nature of its coinage, the divergence in circulation and production of silver and bronze issues and the role of gold within Egypt’s monetary pool. It challenges assumptions about the isolation of Egyptian coinage by demonstrating how it remained responsive to broader imperial developments. The second chapter (Production, 9–36) presents an in-depth analysis of mint operations. The discussion of die reuse and the recutting of obverse and reverse dies (12–13) is consistently integrated into the catalogue analysis. The examination of denominational evolution and metrology within denominations leverages RPC online (16–17) and again highlights the unique benefits of integrating digital and printed databases. The discussion of metallurgical data is combined with production estimates using hoard and auction data to provide a methodological synthesis (24–5) on the use of different data sets as proxies for production volume and patterns. Changes in these patterns are then carefully linked to contemporary events, such as the Antonine Plague or military campaigns (26–31). A very useful metrological appendix complements this chapter (32–6).
H.’s treatment of imperial titulature and portraiture in the third chapter (Obverses: the Imperial Family, 37–57) builds on Burnett’s discussion of the transmission of imperial imagery from Rome to Alexandria in RPC III (esp. 559–60, 658–64). The Alexandrian mint appears responsive to visual cues from the imperial centre, not only stylistically but also in terms of a strict choice of members of the imperial family for the obverse. However, coordination between obverse and reverse types, typical for imperial issues, is uncommon for the Alexandrian mint (56–7). The fourth chapter (Reverses: designs and inscriptions, 58–103) explores how Alexandrian reverse types engaged with Roman iconography (or not). Specific sets, such as the Labours of Hercules and the Zodiac series, are discussed within the Egyptian context, but also within the general context of imperial and provincial imagery. The ‘nome coins’, issued in the name of the administrative districts of Egypt, were treated separately in RPC III (752–87, nos 6275–6570), but hoard evidence suggests they should be considered another Alexandrian series meant to circulate freely in Egypt. H. suggests seeing a close comparison for this series in the Hadrianic ‘province’ series in Rome, and that the idea of visual presentation of geographical entities within the Empire on imperial coinage might have originated from this series (64–5). On the other hand, strictly Roman iconography (e.g. Lupa and twins, RPC IV.4 no. 1258) and themes associated with imperial power (e.g. military campaigns) find a place in the Alexandrian coinage. Specific comparisons are drawn by the author between imperial medallions and local tetradrachms (esp. 97–9).
The last introductory chapter (Alexandria and Rome: the special relationship, 104–12) summarises and extends earlier discussions, specifically concerning iconographic types and messaging transmitted from Rome (e.g. Aelius Caesar, Herculean Commodus). Great emphasis is also put on the parallel development of denominations between the Roman and the Alexandrian mints.
The catalogue (113–500) covers 3,579 types, with 252 plates that incorporate both photographs and rubbings. It includes updated references to previously undocumented pieces. The Indexes (501–47) follow the RPC standard format but offer notable refinements, with a more granular categorisation of reverse types, normalised legend transcriptions and expanded subject categories.
In sum, RPC IV.4 represents a fundamental contribution to the numismatic study of Roman Egypt. One of the methodological strengths of this volume is the extensive typology of analysed evidence, including hoard data, papyri, literary sources and metallurgical analysis. The comprehensive inclusion of metallurgical data and hoard analysis provides new insights into long-debated topics such as the economic effects of the Antonine Plague and Egypt’s role in imperial price integration. Another merit of this volume is certainly the consistent contextualisation of the Alexandrian coinage within the provincial and imperial monetary production.
Errata: Burnett 2009 (quoted at 18) is absent from the bibliography; Burnett 2005 and 2007 both refer to ‘The imperial coinage of Egypt in the first century AD’, in F. Duyrat and O. Picard (eds), L’exception égyptienne? Production et échanges monétaires en Egypte hellénistique et romaine, Actes du colloque d’Alexandrie, 13–15 avril 2002, Cairo.
