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 BC Less 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 Gold Coinage: Augustus (27 BC – AD 14) 1 Aureus = 25 Denarii (see Cassius Dio 55,12,3) Imperial Bronze Coinage: The Augustan System 1 Denarius = 4 Sestertii From 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, 264-267 6.07g Aureus, Rome, 257 2.36g „Binio“, Mediolanum, 262 3.64g Weights vary considerably -> coin values had to be established individually Fineness of Imperial Gold Coins Source: C. Morrisson et al., 3rd Century: L’or monnayé I: purification et altérations Drop in Fineness de Rome à Byzance (1985).