Roman Imperatorial and Imperial Coinage
Bernhard E. Woytek
The Periods
• Civil Wars at the End of the Republic (49 – 31 BC)
Issues of the Rome Mint – “Imperatorial“ Issues
• Principate (31/27 BC – AD 284: Diocletian)“Augustan“ System (with modifications: Caracalla etc.)
Imperial Coinage and Provincial Coinages
• Dominate (AD 284 – 491: Anastasius I.)
Unified Currency. Monetary Reforms of Diocletian, Constantine I. and of Constantine‘s Sons
The Roman „Imperial“ Coinage:Three Important Aspects
• Creation of a Regular Gold Coinage:
Aureus (produced continuously from Caesar onwards), Solidus (created under Constantine I.)
• Portrait of the Ruler on the Obverse:
Introduced to Rome under Caesar, 44 BC
• Creation of the Medallion:
Coin-like, non-monetary object, outside the denominational system, but produced by the official mint
Gold Coinage
Aureus, Julius Caesar, 48 BCLess than 10 pieces known
Gold Coinage
First Large Issue of Aurei produced under Caesar‘s Rule:Aulus Hirtius, Praetor, 46 BC
Die Study (RIN 2003, M. C. Molinari): 537 pieces listed
1 Aureus =
25 Denarii
(see Cassius Dio 55,12,3)
Gold Coinage: Augustus (27 BC – AD 14)
Imperial Bronze Coinage:The Augustan System
1 Denarius = 4 SestertiiFrom Augustus on in BRASS:Part of the coinage reform,made Senatus Consulto (SC)
1 Sestertius = 2 Dupondii
1 Dupondius = 2 Asses
Gold Coinage: Nero (AD 54-68)
Nero‘s Monetary Reform (AD 64):Aurei struck on a Standard of 45 to the Roman pound (libra: c. 327g)
-> theoretically c. 7.27g (but struck al marco)
Gold Coinage: Caracalla (AD 211-217)
Introduction of the Double Aureus (Binio)
(British Museum, Inv. 1867,0101.772: 13.02g)
Gold Coinage: Gallienus (AD 253-268)
Aureus, Rome, 264-2676.07g
„Binio“,Mediolanum, 262
3.64g
Weights vary considerably -> coin values had to be established individually
Aureus, Rome, 2572.36g
Fineness of Imperial Gold Coins
3rd Century:Drop in Fineness
Source:C. Morrisson et al.,
L’or monnayé I: purification et altérations
de Rome à Byzance(1985)
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