The Coinage of
Ancient Rome
Postumus of Rome (Gold Aureus Obverse c. 265 AD)
The Coinage of Rome
A General Review of the Coinage of the Roman Empire
The Roman Imperial coins in addition to their individual character and interest, possess a general historical interest, in consequence of being for the most part struck to commemorate remarkable events. The difficulties of history are consequently cleared up by these contemporary records which are so complete until the time of Constantine, that histories may be compiled from them.
They form the most authentic data in the Roman annals, the years of the consular and tribunitian officers held by the emperors, appearing in the obverse; and on the reverse, representations of the events whose dates are expressed on the other side.
The coins of Trajan, Hadrian and the Antonies, are remarkable for this, and for the accurate data which are thereby supplied to history, by which the mistakes of chronicles are often corrected.
Among the descriptions of events commemorated are the departure of emperors on expeditions; their successes and their returns; their munificence to provinces wasted by famine; visits to the provinces, and benefits conferred during such visits, etc., as in the case of Hadrian's visit to Britain, A.D. 121.
Conquered provinces are represented in a pleasing and often poetical manner as in the weeping Judaea Capta of the coins of Vespasian and Titus; and universal peace is symbolized by the closed temple of Janus on the coins of Nero.
The deaths and consecrations of emperors and empresses are depicted, and their virtues and other attributes beautifully personified. Happiness, hope, abundance, security, piety, modesty, are poetically represented together with the different countries of the world, and the provinces of the Empire.
Even naturalists may derive advantage from the study of these coins -- those struck on the occasion of the secular games, as the coins of Philip representing various animals some of which appear to be now unknown. Accurate portraits of persons of historical eminence are represented, so that busts may be referred to their owners by the agency of the coins, together with representations of buildings now in ruins, as they originally stood -- as triumphal sculptor, and the architect derive no less advantage from the study than the historian.
The Roman coinage appears to have originated in the Aes, a copper piece weighing twelve ounces. The pieces of the most common occurrence have on their obverse the double head of Janus, and on the reverse the prow of a ship. Others have on them the head of Roma, and on the reverse a Bull, with the word, ROMA. The divisions of an Aes were the semis, or half of six ounces, marked S; the triens of four; the quadrans of three; the sextans of two; and the unica of one ounce. They have on them dots or pellets expressing the number of ounces contained in them individually. There were also multiples of the Aes, as high as the decussis, or piece of ten asses, this always with the same head and the six X (ten asses).
The Aes and its parts originally weighed as much as was expressed upon them; but they gradually decreased in weight until, at the time of the second Punic war the Aes was reduced to only half an ounce. As these heavy pieces must have been very inconvenient in their use before their reduction in weight, silver appears to have been soon substituted for them, and the denarius or silver piece originally of the value of ten asses, and afterwards of sixteen, became the most common representative of value; this piece is frequently marked X. The quinarius, which was half the value of the denarius, and marked V, to show it was the value of five asses, also occurs. The silver sextertius, or fourth of a denarius which disappeared at the close of the Republic, nevertheless always remained as the unit of account, its place being taken by the bronze sextertius. While it is true that coin of Ancient Rome are among the most interesting and the most valuable of historical records, it is a matter of regret that metallic and enduring memorials are now confined to medals struck to commemorate some particular event, whose number is limited and which obtain little circulation among the multitude.
Why should we not preserve, as of old, specimens of beautiful architecture, the originals of which time may not spare? Why not exhibit the progress of scientific discovery -- the march of geographical knowledge -- the conquests of commerce and civilization? The mint of the Augustan Age has been well called the seat of Roman genius; why should not the mints of our country be employed and the genius of our republic be installed where its works would assuredly be imperishable?
About the Author
B. Max Mehl (1884-1957) of Forth Worth, Texas, was America's most colorful coin dealer during the first half of the 20th century. This article, The Coinage of Rome, is from the 20th edition (1921) of his coin catalog, The Star Rare Coin Encyclopedia (though mostly complete, this article has been edited for this Web site). Mehl's publications are highly collectible; many may still be obtained for a modest price.
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Bibliography:
Mintmark.com. 2007. The Coinage of Ancient Rome.
http://www.mintmark.com/coinageancientrome.html
(accessed xxxx 7, 200x).
In-Text:
(Mintmark.com 2007)
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