Amonedación Romana Durante El Principado

7/23/2019 Amonedación Romana Durante El Principado

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AMONEDACIÓN ROMANA DURANTE ELPRINCIPADO

Roman currency was based on a silver denarius, struck at 84 to the Roman

pound (322.5 grs., that was e!changed against gold coins or base metal "ractionaldenominations collectively called aes (a term that re"ers to copper and any o" its

alloys. #he gold aureus, struck at 4$ to the Roman pound, and the denarius were

minted "rom virtually pure metal (%%&%%.5' "ine. n 23 ).*. +ugustus re"ormed

theaes so that "ractional denominations were struck in two metals orichalcum or brass

(5' copper- 2$' inc- 5' tin and pure copper. #he rate o" e!change was / aureus 0

25 denarii 0 /$$ brass sestertii 0 4$$ copper asses. Romans reckoned large sums in

the sestertii (abbreviated 1, although they paid in aurei or denarii.

AUGUSTAN CURRENC SSTEM

uivalent alue

6enomination

7etal

eight

n 6enarii

n +sses

+ureus

9old

.%$ grs.

25

4$$

:uinarius

9old

3.8$ grs.

/2&/;2

2$$

6enarius

ilver

3.8$ grs.

/

/<

:uinarius

ilver

/.%$ grs.

/;2

8

estertius

=richalcum

25.$$ grs.

/;4

4

6upondius

=richalcum

/2.5$ grs.

/;8

2

+s

*opper

//.$$ grs.

/;/<

/

emis>

=richalcum

3.25 grs.

/;32

/;2

:uadrans

*opper

3.$$ grs.

/;<4

/;4

>6enomination introduced by ?ero, <4&<8 +.6.

n <4, Nero reduced the standard o" the aureus to 45 to the Roman pound (.2$ grs. and

o" the denarius to %< to the Roman pound (3.3$ grs.. 1e also lowered the denarius to

%4.5' "ine. uccessive emperors lowered the "ineness o" the denarius- in

/8$ Commodus reduced its weight by one&eighth or /$8 to the pound.

!INENESS O! DENARIUS" #$%&'(

6ate eight @urity eight



<4&<8 3./8 grs. %3.5' 2.% grs.

$&8/ 3.22 grs. %$.$' 2.8 grs.

82&85 3.33 grs. %8.$' 3.2< grs.

85&/$ 3.2 grs. %3.5' 3.$4 grs.

/$&/48 3.2/ grs. 8%.$' 2.88 grs./48&/</ 3.23 grs. 83.5' 2.<8 grs.

/</&/<8 3.23 grs. %.$' 2.5 grs.

/<8&/$ 3.24 grs. 82.$' 2.< grs.

/$&/8$ 3.2< grs. %.$' 2.5 grs.

/8$&/85 3.$ grs. <.$' 2.34 grs.

/8<&/%2 2.%8 grs. 4.$' 2.22 grs.

ROMAN CURRENC IN T)E ERA O! IN!LATION" &'*%('*

everan emperors (/%3&235 steadily debased the denarius "rom a standard o" 8.5' to5$' "ine- in 2/2 Caracalla reduced the weight o" the aureus "rom 45 to 5$ to the

Roman pound. #hey also coinedaes "rom a brone alloy with a heavy lead admi!ture

and discontinued "ractional denominations below the as+

DE,ASEMENT O! T)E DENARIUS" &'*%($&

6ate eight @urity ilver eight

@ertina! /%3 3./< grs. 8.$' 2.5 grs.

6idius Aulianus, /%3 2.%5 grs. 8/.5' 2.4$ grs.

eptimius everus, /%3&/%4 3./4 grs. 8.5' 2.4< grs.eptimius everus, /%4&/%< 3.$ grs. <4.5' /.%8 grs.

eptimius everus, /%<&2// 3.22 grs. 5<.5' /.8/ grs.

*aracalla, 2/2&2/ 3.23 grs. 5/.5' /.<< grs.

7acrinus, 2/&2/8 3./5 grs. 58.$' /.82 grs.

lagabalus, 2/%&222 3.$5 grs. 4<.5' /.4/ grs.

everus +le!ander, 222&228 3.$$ grs. 43.$' /.3$ grs.

everus +le!ander, 22%&23$ 3.24 grs. 45.$' /.4< grs.

everus +le!ander, 23$&235 2.%4 grs. 5$.5' /.5$ grs.

7a!iminus, 235&238 3.$ grs. 4<.$' /.43 grs.

9ordian B , 238 2. grs. <3.$' /./ grs.

@upienus B )albinus, 238 2.8$ grs. 55.$' /.55 grs.

9ordian , 24/ 3.$3 grs. 48.$' /.4< grs.

n 2/5 Caracalla introduced the antoninianus (5./ grs.- 52' "ine a double denarius,

containing 8$' o" the silver o" two denarii. #he coin invariably carried the radiate

imperial portrait. Ela-a.alusdemonetied the coin in 2/%, but the senatorial

emperors Pu/ienus and ,al.inus in 238 revived the antoninianus as the principal silver

denomination which successive emperors reduced to a miserable billon coin (2.<$ grs.-

2' "ine.

DE,ASEMENT O! ANTONINIANUS" (*0%(1$




@upienus B )albinus, 238 4.% grs. 4%.5' 2.38 grs.

9ordian , 238 4.5$ grs. 48.5' 2.2$ grs.

9ordian , 24/ 4.43 grs. 44.5' /.%8 grs.

9ordian , 243 4./< grs. 4/.5' /.<2 grs.@hilip, 244 4./2 grs. 43.$' /.4 grs.

@hilip, 248 4./2 grs. 4.$' /.%4 grs.

#raCan 6ecius, 25$ 3.% grs. 4/.$' /.<4 grs.

#rebonianus 9allus, 25/ 3.4< grs. 3<.$' /.2< grs.

+emilian, 253 3.53 grs. 35.5' /.2< grs.

alerian, 253 3./$ grs. 22.$' $.<8 grs.

alerian, 255&<$ 3.$ grs. /%.$' $.58 grs.

9allienus, 2<$ 3.$3 grs. /8.$' $.54 grs.

9allienus, 2</&<3 2.% grs. /5.5' $.4< grs.

9allienus, 2<3&<5 2.5 grs. /3.$' $.38 grs.


9allienus, 2<5&<< 2.8/ grs. %.$' $.3/ grs.

9allienus, 2<&<8 2.<% grs. <.$' $./< grs.

*laudius , 2<8 2.%5 grs. 3.$' $.$% grs.

*laudius , 2<% 2.<$ grs. 2.$' $.$5 grs.

*laudius , 2$ 3.3% grs. 3.$' $./$ grs.

+urelian, 2$ 3./5 grs. 2.5' $.$8 grs.

+urelian, 24 3.88 grs. 5.$' $.2$ grs.

n 24, the emperor Aurelian re"ormed the currency and his denominations remained in

use until the great recoinage o" Diocletian in 2%3. +urelian struck a

radiate aurelianianus o" improved weight (84 to the Roman pound and "ineness (5'

"ine that was tari""ed at "ive notational denarii communes (Dcommon denariiD or d+c..

#he denomination carried on the reverse the numerals EE (or in 9reek F+ to denote

the coin as eual to 2$ sestertii (or 5 d.c.. #he aureus (minted at 5$ or <$ the Roman

pound was e!hanged at rates o" <$$ to /,$$$ d.c., euivalent to /2$ to 2$$

aurelianiani. Rare "ractions o" billion denarii, and o" brone sestertii and asses were also

coined. imultaneously, +urelian reorganied the provincial mint at Ale2andria, and he

minted an improved +le!andrine tetradrachma that might have been tari""ed at par

with the aurelianianus.

#he emperor Tacitus in 2< brie"ly doubled the silver content o" the aurelianianus and

halved its tari""ing to 2.5 d.c. (hence coins o" Antioch and Tri/olis (in @hoenicia carry

the value marks E., butPro.us (2<&282 immediately returned the aurelianianus to

the standard and tari""ing o" +urelian, and was the o""ical tari""ing down to the re"orm

o" 6iocletian in 2%3.



MEASURES IN T)E ROMAN 3ORLD

MEASURES O! CAPACIT

Romans measured dry capacity (grain by the MODIUS (8.5 liters or /./ peck- by weight Cust over <&2;3 kilogrs. or /4&2;3 lbs. and wet capacity (oil and wine by

the AMP)ORA (2< liters or nearly gallons. #he amphora was three times the

volume o" the modius. n markets, oil and wine were usually cited by the se!tarius

($.53% liters or Cust under / pint.

DR MEASURES LI4UID MEASURES

/ modius 0 /< se!tarii / culleus 0 2$ amphorae

/ se!tarius 0 /< cyathi / amphora 0 48 se!tarii

/ se!tarius 0 /< cyathi

n the @rice dict (3$/, Diocletian priced many items by the MODIUS

CASTRENSIS (Dcamp modiusD, euivalent to /.5 modii.

9reeks measured grain by the MEDIMNOS (25 kilgrs. or 55 lbs., eual to <

Roman modii. n gypt grain was measured by the ARTA,A (/8.5 kilgrs. or 4/.3

lbs., eual to 4.5 modii. 9reeks measured wet capacity by the METRETES, divided

into /2 choes 0 /44 kotylai 0 8<4 kyathoi. #he 5OTLE was hal" o" the

Roman SE6TARIUS.

n the @rincipate, an adult male reuired 4 modii as his monthly ration o" wheat,

which probably represented two&thirds o" his caloric intake (with oil, vegetables, and

protein making up the other third.#he Roman soldier was allotted / cyathus (/;/<

se!tarius o" olive oil and / to 2 se!tarii o" wine per day. + peasant "amily o" "our

consumed an annual minimum o" /2$ modii o" wheat, /2$ se!tarii o" olive oil, and

possibly 2$ se!tarii o" wine (o"ten mi!ed with vinegar as posca.

MEASURES O! AREA

Romans measured area by the amount ploughed in a day by a yoke o"

o!en. Gand was reckoned by the IUGERUM (28,$$$ suare Roman "eet or 5;8 o" an

acre. + "arm o" /$ iugera (5&< acres or 2.5 hectares could provide a plebian "amily o" most o" its annual subsistence needs. n gypt, land was measured by

the AROURA (eual to /./ iugera.

MEASURES O! DISTANCE

Romans measured distance by the mile, mille passuum (Done thousand o"

pacesD, euivalent to /,<2$ nglish yards or %2' o" the nglish mile. / Roman mile 0

/,$$$ paces (passus 0 5,$$$ "eet (pedes. +n average dayHs march "or a Roman army

was /5 to / miles- a "orced march (magnum iter was 2$ to 25 miles.



GREE5 PRO7INCIAL AND CI7IC CURRENCO! T)E ROMAN EMPIRE

n the 9reek&speaking ast, provincial and city mints struck traditional currency

based on a silver drachma. ach drachma was divided into si! obols- each o.ol was in

turn divided into 8 chalci. #he e!change was & drachma 0 # o.ols 0 $0 chalci. n the*lassical age, the 9reeks minted silver drachmae and obols, along with their multiples

and "ractions o" the drachma or obol. ince weight standards varied throughout the

9reek world, the weight o" the drachma varied "rom city to city. n the second century

).*., the 9reeks cities also created a base metal "ractional currency premised on either a

brone obol or, in gypt, a brone drachma. #he result was a bewildering array o" local

silver and brone coins in the Roman ast. #he maCor currency systems were as

"ollowsI

/. ATTIC STANDARD, the international standard o" the 9reek world, based on a

silver drachma o" +thens that was eual to the Roman denarius. 9reek authors cite large

sums o" money in +ttic drachmae rather than Roman denarii or sestertii. #he "ollowingsilver denominations were minted in the Roman ageI

#etradrachma 0 4 drachmae

#ridrachma 0 3 drachmae

6idrachma 0 2 drachmae

6rachma 0 / drachma

1emidrachma 0 /;2 drachma

#he +ttic standard was used in 9reece, 7acedon, eastern and southern +sia

7inor (Gycia, *ilicia, and *appadocia, and the southern Gevant (@hoenicia, Audaea,

+rabia. n the ?ear ast silver coins o" +ttic weight were called Dsilver o" the standard

o" #yre,D the @hoenician port "amed "or her trade coins, the sil8er tetradrachmae with

the striding eagle. Audas received #yrian tetradrachmae as his thirty pieces o"

silver. 7ost cities minted brone "ractions based on an obol (/;< o" a denarius that

stood in no convenient relationship to Roman base metal coins. Garge brone

didrachmae and drachmae were struck as pro!ies "or silver coins, but cities usually

minted a wide array multiples and "ractions o" the obol and chalcus.

2. CISTOP)ORIC STANDARD. #his was based on a silver drachma that was only

5' the weight o" the denarius- the standard was used in *rete, Rhodes, western +sia

7inor (+sia, )ithynia, and @amphylia, and in northern yria (where it was called the+ntiochene standard. #he most "amed silver coins o" this standard were silver

cistophori (0 3 denarii struck by the +sian cities o" @ergamum and phesus, and

tetradrachmae (0 3 denarii o" +ntioch in yria. Jractional brone coins were based on a

brone obol that was e!changed against 2 Roman asses (or assaria in 9reek so that

brone coins in this system were easily euated to Roman aes.

3. ALE6ANDRINE STANDARD. #his was the standard o" +le!andria, capital o"

gypt. nitially, the Romans employed @tolemaic regal coinsI the brone obol and

drachma, and low grade silver tetradrachma tari""ed at /.5 denarii. n 4/;2

+.6. Claudius introduced tetradrachmae ("our drachmae pieces minted "rom .illon, an

alloy less than 25' silver, and eual to / silver denarius. )rone "ractions were basedon the drachma and obol. gyptian provincial coins were thus J6K*+RL so that



Roman authorities en"orced them as the sole legal tender and e!cluded all other coins,

especially gold and silver coins. #he e!change was & .illon tetradrachma 9 $ .ron:edrachmae 9 ($ .ron:e o.ols. n Roman ta! collection, premiums were charged on

payments in brone so that the tetradrachma was o"ten e!changed at rates o" 25 to 2%

obols.

3AGES AND PRICES IN T)E ROMAN 3ORLD;c+ <= ,+C+%(*< A+D+>

3AGES. Roman soldiers received top pay "or coveted "ull time

employment. #he legionary "rom 4< ).*. to 84 +.6. received a daily wage o" /$ assesor 225 denarii per year- @raetorian guardsmen received 2 denarii per day or 2$ denarii

per year. Domitian raised legionary annual pay by one&third to 3$$ denarii. Se/timiusSe8erus in /%5 and Caracalla in 2/5 raised the annual pay to 4$$ and <$$ denarii

respectively.

@ompeian laborers in 5$ ).*.&% +.6. earned daily wages o" 5 to /< asses, but

employment was seasonal. n the second century +.6. skilled miners in 6acia earned <

to /$ asses per day plus room and board when hired on < or 8 month contracts.

PRICES. #he best inde! o" the purchasing power o" salaries comes "rom the

price o" grain, which represented two&thirds to three&uarters o" the caloric intake o" anadult male. @rices su""ered regional and seasonal "luctuations, but averages were as

"ollowsI

Rome / modius / to /.5 denarii

taly / modius / denarius

+sia 7inor / modius M to / denarius

+"rica / modius < asses to / denarius

gyptN/O / modius M denarius

#he market price o" an adult maleHs annual need o" grain, <$ modii, was <$

denarii in taly or 2<.' o" the annual salary o" a legionary. + peasant "amily o" "our

reuired annually /5$ modii o" grain priced in the market at two&thirds o" the annual

salary o" a legionary. +ristocratic patrons during "estivals in talian and +"rican towns

handed out s/ortula to poorer citiens at the rate o" /;2 or / denarius per man. ach

citien could thus buy 2$&25' o" his monthly needs "or grain.

n taly, 2 copper asses (/;8 denarius bought the minimum daily dietary needs

so that 45 to 5$ denarii per year was the subsistence wage. n +sia 7inor and yria, the

euivalent price "or daily need was one / brone obol (0 2 assaria. 7arket wardens

(agoranomoi o" E/hesus in /5$&2$$ +.6. "i!ed prices "or / pound o" wheat bread

(capable o" "eeding an adult male at 2 to 4 brone obols (0 /;4 to /;2 denarius.

http://www.tulane.edu/~august/handouts/601cprin.htm#_ftn1

http://www.tulane.edu/~august/handouts/601cprin.htm#_ftn1



N/O@rice e!pressed as / artaba o" wheat at 2 tetradrachmae.

http://www.tulane.edu/~august/handouts/601cprin.htm#_ftnref1

http://www.tulane.edu/~august/handouts/601cprin.htm#_ftnref1

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Amonedación Romana Durante El Principado