''Aes grave'' (heavy bronze) is a term in
numismatics
Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, medals and related objects.
Specialists, known as numismatists, are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, but the discipline also includ ...
indicating bronze cast coins used in central Italy during the 3rd century BC, whose value was generally indicated by signs: I for the as, S for
semis
The semis, literally meaning half, was a small Roman bronze coin that was valued at half an as. During the Roman Republic, the semis was distinguished by an 'S' (indicating semis) or 6 dots (indicating a theoretical weight of 6 uncia). Some o ...
and pellets for
unciae. Standard weights for the as were 272, 327, or 341 grams, depending upon the issuing authority.
The main Roman cast coins had these marks and images:
__NOTOC__
Issuing cities
Main series were from
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
, Ariminum (
Rimini
Rimini ( , ; rgn, Rémin; la, Ariminum) is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It sprawls along the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia (the ancient ''Ariminu ...
), Iguvium (
Gubbio), Tuder (
Todi
Todi () is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) of the province of Perugia (region of Umbria) in central Italy. It is perched on a tall two-crested hill overlooking the east bank of the river Tiber, commanding distant views in every direction.
I ...
), Ausculum (
Ascoli Satriano
Ascoli Satriano (; nap, label= Foggiano, Àsculë) is a town and ''comune ''in the province of Foggia in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. It is located on the edge of a large plain in Northern Apulia known as the Tavoliere delle Puglie.Cur ...
), Firmum (
Fermo), Hatria - Hadria (
Atri
Atri ( sa, अत्रि) or Attri is a Vedic sage, who is credited with composing numerous hymns to Agni, Indra, and other Vedic deities of Hinduism. Atri is one of the Saptarishi (seven great Vedic sages) in the Hindu tradition, and the on ...
), Luceria (
Lucera), and
Latin central Italy. Other series have unknown provenance.
Gallery
Image:Vecchi 051 - transparent background.PNG, As (ca. 235 BC)
Image:Vecchi 009.jpg, Semis
The semis, literally meaning half, was a small Roman bronze coin that was valued at half an as. During the Roman Republic, the semis was distinguished by an 'S' (indicating semis) or 6 dots (indicating a theoretical weight of 6 uncia). Some o ...
Image:Vecchi 003.jpg, Triens (ca. 241–235 BC)
Image:Aes Grave Quadrans3.jpg, Quadrans
The quadrans (literally meaning "a quarter") or teruncius ("three unciae") was a low-value Roman bronze coin worth one quarter of an as. The quadrans was issued from the beginning of cast bronze coins during the Roman Republic with three p ...
(ca. 230–226 BC. weight 63.19 g
Vecchi 61; Crawford 27/8)
Image:Vecchi 005.jpg, Sextans
Sextans is a minor equatorial constellation which was introduced in 1687 by Johannes Hevelius. Its name is Latin for the astronomical sextant, an instrument that Hevelius made frequent use of in his observations.
Notable features
Sextans as ...
(ca. 289–245 BC)
Image:Vecchi 281.jpg, Quincunx (coin) (After 220 BC)
Image:Vecchi 283.jpg, Teruncius ( Apulia, Luceria. Circa 220 BC)
Image:Vecchi 013.jpg, Uncia (coin) (ca. 275–270 BC)
See also
*
Roman Republican coinage
Roman Republican currency refers to the coinage struck by the various magistrates of the Roman Republic, to be used as legal tender. In modern times, the abbreviation RRC, "Roman Republican Coinage" originally the name of a reference work on the t ...
*
Aes rude
Aes rude Pliny the Elder: ''Naturalis Historia'', XXXIII, XIII, 43 (Latin, "rough bronze") was a nugget of bronze used as a sort of proto-currency in ancient Italy prior to the use of minted coins made from precious metals.
The Italian economy of ...
*
Aes signatum
AES may refer to:
Businesses and organizations Companies
* AES Corporation, an American electricity company
* AES Data, former owner of Daisy Systems Holland
* AES Eletropaulo, a former Brazilian electricity company
* AES Andes, formerly AES Gener ...
References
Further reading
* Haeberlin, Ernst: ''Aes Grave, Das Schwergeld Roms und Mittelitaliens einschließlich der ihm vorausgehenden Rohbronzewährung'', Halle 1910.
* Head, Barclay V.: ''Historia Nummorum, a Manual of Greek Numismatic'', London, 1911
2.
* Sear, David: "Roman Coins and Their Values," Volume I, Spink.
* Sydenham, Edward A.: ''Aes Grave A Study of the Cast Coinages of Rome and Central Italy''. London, Spink, 1926.
* Italo Vecchi. ''Italian Cast Coinage. A descriptive catalogue of the cast coinage of Rome and Italy.'' London Ancient Coins, London 2013. Hard bound in quarto format, 84 pages, 90 plates.
External links
Digital Historia NummorumThe Aes Grave of Central Italy by J. G. Milne
Coins of ancient Rome
Economic history of Italy
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