The Roman Denarius was the main currency of the Roman Empire for over four centuries, from the late third century BC to the early third century AD. It was a silver coin that initially weighed about 4.5 grams and contained about 95% pure silver. However, over time, the Denarius underwent a process of debasement, which […]
The Roman Denarius was a standard silver coin that served as the backbone of Roman currency for over 500 years. Originally valued at 10 asse, the Denarius was introduced during the Second Punic War in 211 BC and was used until AD 238. However, continuous debasement caused its replacement by the Antoninianus. Despite its debasement, the Roman Denarius remains a valuable and sought-after artifact for collectors and historians alike.
As [AE] : This denomination, meaning ’unity’, was a standard unit in Roman coinages initially. It was first struck c.280 BC. From the beginning of the Empire it was struck in pure copper, making it look yellowish, but by the end of the 3rd century AD it was bronze. Hence, asses usually appear darker than […]
Understanding the several popular denominations used in the Roman Empire is not very challenging. Coins from various eras can be differentiated by their sizes or look, as will be covered here. Similar to today, gold, silver, and copper or bronze were the primary metals. However, it should be noted that this is a very difficult […]