Inflation appeared after three centuries of stability.Īureus (Caracalla under Septimius Severus), A.D. 211 to 217, introduced a coin that weighed 1.5 times more, but was valued at two times as much, resulting in an effective 25% additional debasement. Instead of debasing the denarius below 50% of silver, Caracalla, sole emperor from A.D. After further debasements of the Imperial coinage, “silver” denarii included less than 50% silver by the time of Septimius Severus in the early 3rd century A.D. 64, Nero initiated a monetary reform that would have lasting consequences by mixing the silver content of the denarii with up to 25% copper. This coin is comparable to contemporary Imperial asses. The exact denominations of provincial coins are often uncertain, as Rome permitted a high degree of local autonomy in the East. Antioch in Pisidia (modern Turkey) (ANS 1960.170.420, bequest of D. Rome (ANS 1987.26.268, gift of Damia Francis).īronze (Augustus), prior to A.D. The reason for this is its expensive copper-zinc alloy called orichalcum.ĭupondius (Augustus), 16 B.C. This coin is twice as heavy as an as, though it was four times more valuable. The Roman monetary system was stabilized for three centuries, and inflation was eradicated.Īureus (Caesar), 46 B.C. The main Roman denominations were linked following the equation, 1 aureus = 25 denarii = 100 sestertii = 400 asses.

Julius Caesar minted gold coins, at 1/40th of the Roman pound (about 8 g.). A combination of increased silver supply from Spanish mining and external conquests, revaluations, and decreasing bronze weight standards pushed the Roman price system into an inflationary spiral. Called the denarius, its name initially meant that it was worth 10 bronze asses, before being revalued to 16 asses around 140 B.C. and standardized it as a coin weighing 1/84th, and then 1/72nd, of a Roman pound. Rome had started issuing silver coinage at the beginning of the 3rd century B.C. This coin’s weight follows a standard of 1/24th of the Roman pound, called the semuncial (half-ounce) standard.īy the end of the Republic, the Roman monetary system evolved towards a system of gold, silver, and several copper-based alloys. Miles).Īt this point, the as weighed less than 1/6th of a Roman pound.Īs, 88 B.C. The weight of this coin is close to that of the previous uncia, although its notional value is twice as high.Īs, c. Uncia (1/12th of an as), 1st half of the 3rd century B.C. Rome (ANS 1943.127.1).Īes grave is used to name the early Roman weight standard. The Roman monetary weight standards quickly collapsed during the 2nd Punic War (218-204 B.C.), triggering a massive rise in prices.Īs. The heavy base unit, the as, initially weighed one Roman pound, while fractional coins were minted at proportional weights. Starting in the late 4th century B.C., the Roman Republic based a bronze ( aesin Latin) coinage upon the weight standard of the Roman pound, which was about 323 metric grams. Rome: A Thousand Years of Monetary History From Republic to Empire

Julius caesar coin value