Roman coins » Denominations
Roman Radiates
Radiates (often inaccurately called antoniniani) were introduced in AD 215, probably as a double-denarius. By the mid-third century the early denominations had all but disappeared, leaving the radiate as the only common coin. Radiates can be identified by the distinctive radiate crown (a crown of sun-rays).
Roman Radiates aligned relatively to demonstrate their size.
The database has 13967 radiates recorded and either validated or on validation.
| Early radiates (produced between AD 215 and about 260) are quite silvery in appearance. They can weigh as much as 5 g. |  |
| During the third century radiates get smaller, lighter and the silver content falls. |  |
| Radiates with a female portrait (the empress) do not have a radiate crown. They can be identified by a crescent moon shown behind the shoulders of the bust. |  |
| Radiates that appear coppery were probably produced between about AD 260 and 295 (when the radiate disappeared). This change reflects the continuous debasement of coinage. Radiates of this period are extremely common finds in Britain , as are their contemporary copies known as barbarous radiates. |  |
| In AD 275, under the emperor Aurelian, a reform of the coinage introduced larger, more silvery looking radiates. Reformed radiates were produced for about 20 years, but are much less common as UK finds than the smaller coppery radiates mentioned above. |  |
