Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Authority to mint coins [ ] The manufacture of coins in the Roman culture, dating from about the 4th century BC, significantly influenced later development of coin minting in Europe. The origin of the word 'mint' is ascribed to the manufacture of silver coin at Rome in 269 BC at the temple of. This became the personification of money, and her name was applied both to money and to its place of manufacture. Roman mints were spread widely across the Empire, and were sometimes used for propaganda purposes.

The populace often learned of a new Roman Emperor when coins appeared with the new Emperor's portrait. Some of the emperors who ruled only for a short time made sure that a coin bore their image; Quietus, for example, ruled only part of the Roman Empire from 260 to 261 AD, and yet he issued two coins bearing his image. The Romans cast their larger copper coins in clay moulds carrying distinctive markings, not because they knew nothing of, but because it was not suitable for such large masses of metal. History [ ] Roman Republic: c.

500 – 27 BC [ ]. Bronze aes signatum produced by the Roman Republic after 450 BC.

Roman adoption of metallic was a late development in. Bars and ingots were used as money in Mesopotamia since the 7th millennium BC; and Greeks in had pioneered the use of (which they employed in addition to other more primitive, monetary ) as early as the 7th century BC. Coinage proper was only introduced by the government c. The greatest city of the region in southern Italy, and several other Italian cities, already had a long tradition of using coinage by this time and produced them in large quantities during the 4th century BC to pay for their wars against the inland Italian groups encroaching on their territory. For these reasons, the Romans would have certainly known about coinage systems long before their government actually introduced them.

The reason behind Rome's adoption of coinage was likely cultural. The Romans had no pressing economic need, but they wanted to emulate Greek culture; and they considered the institution of minted money a significant feature of that culture. However, Roman coinage initially saw very limited use. The type of money introduced by Rome was unlike that found elsewhere in the ancient Mediterranean. It combined a number of uncommon elements.

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One example is the large bronze bullion, the ( for struck bronze). It measured about 160 by 90 millimetres (6.3 by 3.5 in) and weighed around 1,500 to 1,600 grams (53 to 56 oz), being made out of a highly leaded tin bronze. Although similar metal currency bars had been produced in Italy and northern, these had been made of, an unrefined metal with a high iron content. Along with the aes signatum, the Roman state also issued a series of bronze and silver coins that emulated the styles of those produced in Greek cities. Police Force 2 there. Produced using the manner of manufacture then utilised in, the designs of these early coins were also heavily influenced. The designs on the coinage of the Republican period displayed a 'solid conservatism', usually illustrating mythical scenes or personifications of various gods and goddesses.

Roman Empire: 27 BC – 476 AD [ ]. Coins of the Roman Republic and Empire - from Cassell's History of England, Vol. I - anonymous author and artists The imagery on coins took an important step when issued coins bearing his own portrait. While moneyers had earlier issued coins with portraits of ancestors, Caesar's was the first Roman coinage to feature the portrait of a living individual. The tradition continued following Caesar's assassination, although the from time to time also produced coins featuring the traditional deities and personifications found on earlier coins. The image of the Roman emperor took on a special importance in the centuries that followed, because during the empire, the emperor embodied the state and its policies.

The names of moneyers continued to appear on the coins until the middle of ' reign. Although the duty of moneyers during the Empire is not known, since the position was not abolished, it is believed that they still had some influence over the imagery of the coins.

The main focus of the imagery during the empire was on the portrait of the emperor. Coins were an important means of disseminating this image throughout the empire. Coins often attempted to make the emperor appear god-like through associating the emperor with attributes normally seen in divinities, or emphasizing the special relationship between the emperor and a particular deity by producing a preponderance of coins depicting that deity. During his campaign against Pompey, Caesar issued a variety of types that featured images of either or, attempting to associate himself with his divine ancestors. An example of an emperor who went to an extreme in proclaiming divine status was.