The ace in the Republic

Aes signatum - end ^of the fourth or early third ^centuryBC. AD - length 15 cm - 1.4 kg - Cabinet of medals , Paris

In its early history of the Roman Republic ⁱⁿ the fifth century BC. BC, Livy refers to Ace as the unit of account, for example in evaluating the hundred or in the amounts of fines :

Aes rude

Aes rude (rough bronze or not worked) is a type of pre-Roman coins made in irregular pieces of bronze. Technically we can not talk about money because she has no form, it lacks the identification signs, its value and authority issues.

The populations of Central Italy, including Rome, used in principle to trade such as metals, only copper and bronze.

Were used at the beginning of the metal parts of irregular shapes of various sizes directly from the merger in the rough and no finish. Their value was determined by weight, which was not uniform and ranged from 3 kg to 0.5 kg. Given their considerable weight, these bars should be interpreted as confined to hoard rather than daily trading. These ingots were circulating in central Italy, although a few ingots were discovered at Parma and Bologna.

View the variety of bullion by weight and shape, it is assumed they were made as needed. From the ^seventh century BC. AD "types" or "footprints", the most famous is the "branch" are affixed to ingots, certainly to distinguish it from other similar parts or to facilitate cutting. Ingots with this kind of impression have been found in different parts of Italy, Bologna, Parma, Marzabotto , Mantua , in Umbria and Tuscany. One of these ingots was discovered in a pit next to offerings from the temple of Demeter at Bitalemi near Gela in Sicily, and the stratigraphy is dated 560-540 BC. AD On the other fingerprints taken are the fishbone or eight-pointed star.

In a second step, to reduce weighing operations are used more regularly shaped with a sign indicating the value, say signatum aes. In general, these bronze coins approximate rectangular shape ovoidal or on one or both sides, private manufacturing and non-state alleged.

Later, around the ^third century BC. AD begins to issue 'aes grave.

Aes signatum

Aes signatum (in Latin , is the term that numismatists use to describe modern ingots cast bronze, which were used in central Italy before the issuance of .

The aes signatum was produced in the first half ^of the third BC, and follows the Aes rude.

The weight of the bars was about 1.5 kg and had a value of 5 aces. The aes signatum had no face value and therefore had no fixed impressions, these ingots, such as aes rude, were worth what they weighed and for that they were "cut" as needed. The ingots presented figures, one per face, almost primitive prints. For example couples: Achilles holding a flash on one side and Pegasus on the reverse, a sword and scabbard, an elephant and a pig. The latter type allows us to date the ingot 275 BC. AD , the year the defeat of Pyrrhus and the transfer to Rome for the first time, these pachyderms, which impressed the people. The presence of pork due to the passage of Aelian that these animals were used to frighten the elephants, in fact pigs once covered pitch were inflamed and grunts emitted terrified the elephants.

The aes signatum were replaced by the

Aes grave, 254.64 g. - Cabinet of Medals, Paris

Aes aes grave or libral

With the term aes grave (heavy bronze) Roman writers indicated the heavy bronze coins of the early days of the republic.

In numismatics , it designates the cast coins of bronze of the ^fourth and ^third century BC. AD issued in central Italy by diverse populations, and characterized by a sign indicating the value.

In the first series, Ace weighed about 320 grams, a Roman pound or 12 ounces, hence the name libral aes (Latin pound) and weight of sub-multiples was directly proportional to their value, "seeding" (worth 1 / 2 As), and so on until an ounce, the value of 1 / 12 aces. In this series, all the coins were cast, and differentiated by the pattern on the front and rear. The table below shows the series derived from the ace libral approximately 320 g, issued during the period roughly from -290 to -250 .

Ace and its sub-multiples (third century)
Currency	Value	Ground face	Backhand ground
As	ace	Janus	Mercury	-
Seedlings	ace	Minerva	Venus	-
Trien	1 / 3 as	Lightning	Dauphin
Quadrants	as	Cornucopia	Main	-
Sextans	1 / 6 as	Shell	Caduceus
Uncia	1 / 12 have	Bone	Point	-
Semiuncia	1 / 24 have	Grain of Wheat

As the weight of the pass at about 250 and 12 to 10 ounces or 260 grams and about its sub-multiples experience a proportional decrease, while the ratings remain unchanged. Different reasons for distinguishing the new series.

• 

  As serious (about 240-225 BC.)
  Janus Two Faces / Prow of galley

• 

  Seedlings
  Pegasus on both sides

• 

  Quadrants. about 230-226 BC. AD
  Open hand
  Weight 63.19 gr
  Thurlow-Vecchi 26; Crawford 27 / 8

Ace hit

The strike began as the early ^third century , during the war against Pyrrhus. The Second Punic War saw the emergence of Roman silver coin, the denarius worth 10 aces and the sestertius worth 2 aces and a half, and caused several devaluations of the ace .

The theoretical weight and have evolved during the Republic ^, :

The dates are approximate and BC. AD, and the chronology of the unstable period of ace during the Second Punic War is not found an author to another. The following table Georges DEPEYROT mainly specializing in numismatic issues, while Marcel Le Glay is the ace in 217 4-ounce and one ounce in 211

The patterns on the deal could distinguish the ace and its sub-multiples, while all other side wore a bow of ship.

As Republican with Janus and prow of galley bifront - Viennese drawing numismatist Joseph Eckhel - 1787

Around 145 BC. AD , the relationship between the ace and silver coins was changed :

• the sestertius money spent as of 2 to 4 aces
• the penny dropped from 10 to 16 did have

In 80 BC. AD , the mint of Rome arrested emissions bronze coins, as and its sub-multiples, by shortages of copper. Ace ceased to be a unit of account for the benefit of sesterces. International trade employed the Roman silver denarius, and for local trade, the former workshops of Eastern cities and some regional workshops in Spain and Gaul covered the needs of small coins. Aces hit before 80 BC. BC remained in circulation until the empire.

The ace under the empire

Have struck for the third consulate of Marcus Agrippa Vipsanius (27 BC.)

Sestertius of Hadrian , dupondius of Antoninus Pius , as of Marcus Aurelius.

Civil wars did reactivate the striking Roman bronze by local workshops in various parts of the empire in the East, Spain and Narbonne , especially in Nimes. In 19 BC. BC , Augustus reorganized emissions consistently, and resumed the strike ace in the imperial workshops of Rome and Lugdunum , with the following quotes :

• a silver denarius = 16 have
• a brass sestertius 25 g = 4 aces
• dupondius a brass 12.5 g = 2 aces
• ace of 1/30th of a pound of copper, 10.8 g
• a seedling of 1/60th of a pound of copper ace =
• an equilateral triangle of 1 / 112 of a pound of copper = 1 / 3 as

This system remains in force until ^the third century. Nero in its reform of 64 alternates for emissions are between brass , metal dedicated to sestertius, and copper, but it is up to the ace of copper after his death in 68 .

The sestertius denier and gradually take precedence over the ace, which disappears in the composition of the treasures of the period of the Antonines . The currency and economic crisis ^of the third century ended the currency issued copper and bronze.

The ace in the Lower Empire

Emissions bronze resumed under Diocletian , but his successors fail to create a stable system. The types of bronze coins varies, and their weight decreases, while we know their specific name. By convention, despite the lack of resemblance to the ace of previous centuries, the means by numismatists 2 aes, aes aes 3 and 4, the small bronze coins issued during the reigns of Valentinians and Theodosius I. . The naming rule is as follows :

• Aes or AE1: over 25mm in diameter
• Aes 2 or E2: between 21 mm and 25mm diameter
• AES3 or AE3 between 17 mm and 21mm in diameter
• Aes4 or E4: moinns 17mm diameter

Notes

Related articles

• Symbols of Roman coins
• Roman currency
• Roman mints
• Ace of Nimes
• Bronze

External Links

• General site on Roman coins with books
• Website dedicated to ancient numismatics: definitions, articles, biographies
• (In) Catalog of Roman coins of the republic and empire of high-

Bibliography

General titles

• DEPEYROT George, The Roman coin: 211 Ave. AD - 476 AD. AD Wandering Publishing, 2006, 212 p. ( ISBN 2877723305 )
• (In) John Yonge Akerman, A Manual of Roman Coins, London 1865. Link to the book
• Babelon Ernest, Moneta in memory of the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres, Paris 1913. Link to the book
• Henry Cohen, Description History of coins minted under the Roman Empire, second edition, Paris, 1880-1892. Link to the book
• (In) Francesco Gnecchi, Roman Coins Elementary Manual, London 1903. Link to the book
• (De) Imhoof Friedrich-Blumer, Portrtkpfe Rmischen auf Mnzen der Republik und der Kaiserzeit, Leipzig 1892. Link to the book
• George Hacquard Guide ancient Roman, Hachette, ^2005, 50th ed., 224 p. ( ISBN 2010004884 )
• Marcel Le Glay, Rome, grandeur and decline of the republic, Perrin, 1990, 406 p. ( ISBN 2262007519 )
• Theodor Mommsen , History of the Roman currency, translated by The Duke of Blacas, Volume I, II, III and IV. Volume I Volume II Volume IV

Books about

• (La) Jacques De Bye, Julio has Imperatorum Romanorum Caesare usque ad Heraclium Numismata Aurea, Antwerp 1627. Link to the book
• Alfonso De Schodt, Futures medals Octavian Augustus, in Revue Belgian numismatics, Brussels 1883. Link to the book
• John Witte, Medals Bonosus, in Numismatic Journal, Paris 1859. Link to the book
• Merlin Alfred Setbacks monetary Emperor Nerva, Paris 1906. Link to the book

References

• Ancient Rome portal
• Numismatics portal

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