![]() ![]() Its designs were often used to communicate political messages to the people, both Roman and non-Roman, as well as to commemorate significant events such as the ascension to power of an emperor. The denarius was a symbol not only of trade and commerce, but also of Roman power and status. The legacy of the denarius (see below) makes it the most popular coin amongst both casual hobbyists and more serious Roman coin collectors alike. Obviously, demand and supply are a key driver in the valuations of each particular coin, with early “heavy denarii”, that contain more silver and were minted in much lower numbers, having far more value - and cost much more to purchase - than a denarius of mainly bronze minted in greater quantities towards the later part of its circulation. Today, Roman denarii coins can be purchased from ancient coin dealers and online quite easily. Soldiers and mercenaries, not to mention bribes for support, all required money which had to be minted.Īs time went on, the antoninianus would go the same way as its predecessor the denarius in that it would be reduced in weight and debased to the point of impractically as a currency and near-worthlessness.īuying and Collecting Denarii and Other Roman Coins One was a dwindling supply of available silver to mint new coins as the Roman empire stopped expanding into new mineral-rich territories.Īlso, with the empire showing signs of the stresses that would lead to its eventual collapse, this period of Roman history saw many different Roman emperors come and go, with assassinations and usurpations becoming frequent events. There were also other problems in the 3rd Century AD when the antoninianus coin was introduced. Being twice the value but not containing twice the amount of silver was a quick, and pretty obvious really, recipe for inflation and circulation issues.Ĭitizens not only began to hoard the denarii as much as they could, but sellers of goods and services also raised prices to compensate for the discrepancy in value and silver content, which resulted in a substantial increase in inflation.Ī chart showing the decline in fineness of Roman Imperial silver coinage between 27 BC and 250 AD ![]() The denarius’ ultimate replacement came with the introduction of the antoninianus in 215 AD by the emperor Caracalla, after whom the coin was named (Caracalla was renamed Marcus Aurelius Antoninus at the age of seven as part of his father's attempt at a union with the families of former emperors Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius).Īlthough valued at 2 denarii (hence it being also known today as a ‘double-denarius’), even at its introduction it only contained 1.5 times the silver content of a denarius. Despite the later revaluation to 16 asses, it still kept the name denarius. ![]() The term denarius literally means, in Latin, "containing ten asses", and was so called because the denarius coin was the equivalent of 10 asses. Originally containing 4.5g of silver, at its introduction it was equivalent to 10 asses (the as was a bronze - and later copper - coin also introduced during the Republican period), although it was later revalued to 16 assess in around 140 BC due to the decreased weight of the as.Ī silver denarius coin issued during the reign of AugustusĪlthough there were to be numerous devaluations and debasements over the centuries, the denarius was the longest surviving denomination of Roman coin, and, as such, has become one of the most well-known and iconic of all Roman coins.įrom its introduction in 211 BC, it was in use all the way up until the 3rd century AD, although by the end it had become a debased bronze coin. To coin collectors we offer a selection of Roman Silver Coins, divided into Roman Republic Coins and Roman Imperial Coins, and Roman Bronze Coins.The Roman denarius (plural: denarii) was a silver coin that was first minted during the period of the Roman Republic in 211 BC. He started a trend that many roman emperors would soon follow, including his great-nephew Augustus, the infamous Commodus, and the cruel Caligula. Julius Caesar was the first Roman to issue coins bearing his own portrait. Including many Republican Denarius depicting Rome’s founders, Romulus and Remus, being suckled by a she-wolf.Ĭoins were symbols of power in Imperial times and were often used to disseminate the Emperor’s image across the empire as having god-like status. Some very interesting Ancient Roman Coins were minted during this period. It was during the time of the Roman Republic, that Rome first expanded from the city’s immediate surroundings to hegemony over the Mediterranean world. By then Rome was still a Republic composed of two consuls, assemblies of the people, magistrates who were elected by the people, and a senate that advised magistrates. Roman Coins date back to the 4 th century BC around the year 326. ![]()
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