![]() ![]() Eventually, the economic conditions of the Second Punic War forced the Romans to fully adopt a coinage system. For these reasons, the Romans would have certainly known about coinage systems long before their government actually introduced them. The greatest city of the Magna Graecia 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. The Romans cast their larger copper coins in clay moulds carrying distinctive markings, not because they did not know about striking, but because it was not suitable for such large masses of metal.īronze aes signatum produced by the Roman Republic after 450 BCĬoinage proper was only introduced by the republican government c. 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 thirteen coins bearing his image from three mints. The populace often learned of a new Roman Emperor when coins appeared with the new emperor's portrait. Roman mints were spread widely across the Empire, and were sometimes used for propaganda purposes. This goddess became the personification of money, and her name was applied both to money and to its place of manufacture. The origin of the word "mint" is ascribed to the manufacture of silver coin at Rome in 269 BC near the temple of Juno Moneta. The manufacture of coins in the Roman culture, dating from about the 4th century BC, significantly influenced later development of coin minting in Europe. Roman currency names survive today in many countries via the Carolingian monetary system, such as the Arabic dinar (from the denarius coin), the British pound, and the peso (both translations of the Roman libra, a unit of weight). It served as a model for the currencies of the Muslim caliphates and the European states during the Middle Ages and the Modern Era. This trend continued into Byzantine times.ĭue to the economic power and longevity of the Roman state, Roman currency was widely used throughout western Eurasia and northern Africa from classical times into the Middle Ages. Notable examples of this followed the reforms of Diocletian. A persistent feature was the inflationary debasement and replacement of coins over the centuries. From its introduction to the Republic, during the third century BC, well into Imperial times, Roman currency saw many changes in form, denomination, and composition. Roman currency for most of Roman history consisted of gold, silver, bronze, orichalcum and copper coinage. Nearby Alchester is the site of an ancient Roman town.ĭiscover more about what’s on at Oxfordshire’s libraries and museums at: Click Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates thanks to our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.Denarius of Marcus Aurelius. The Bicester area in the Roman era was predominantly rural with notable tribal boundaries at Aves Ditch and the river Cherwell. The hoard also contains several unofficial copies that could post-date AD 274 but cannot be closely dated. The coins are all thought to date from the joint reign of Valerian and Gallienus (AD 253 to 260) to the reigns of regional emperors Tetricus I and II (AD 271 to 274) and Aurelian (AD 270-5). The hoard was discovered in September 2016 by a metal detector on farmland. Those who have made their own discoveries, no matter how small, can also bring along their hoards to Finds Liaison Officer Dr Edward Carswell, who will be on hand to help them learn more about their finds. To mark the start of the exhibition, Bicester Library is also hosting a “Roman Coin Hoard Day” on 3 December featuring activities for both families and adults alike, such as lectures on the hoard, making roman helmets and a question-and-answer session with the Museum Service’s archaeology team. If you have an interest in history and learning more, this is the exhibition for you.” “As the largest hoard in our significant collection of coins and artefacts, I am delighted that we’ve been able to bring this exhibition to Bicester. The exhibition is a chance to see the Stoke Lyne Roman coin hoard – the largest in Oxfordshire County Council’s collection – for the first time and learn more about how the museum acquires, catalogues and cares for them.Ĭouncillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services and Safety said: “These coins are another exciting find that helps us to discover more about the rich history of our county, and the Roman occupation of early Britain. People can view a never-before-seen hoard of Roman coins from 3 December when it goes on display at Oxfordshire County Council’s Bicester Library until 3 March. ![]()
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