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Denarius
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Index Of All Titles

Ancient Coin Collecting 101

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DENARIUS. - This well-known Roman coin derived

its name from its value of ten asses (a denis assibus)
when it replaced the quadrigatus at the time when
the old cast aes grave coinage finally gave way to the
new struck bronze coins circa 211 B.C.
Around 141 B.C., the denarius was retarrifed at
sixteen asses and retained this value into Imperial
times.
According to Pliny, it was established that the
denarius should be given in exchange for ten pounds
of bronze, the quinarius for five pounds, and the
sestertius for two-and-a-half. - But when the as was
reduced in weight to one ounce, it was established
that the denarius should be given in exchange for
sixteen asses, the quinarius for eight, and the
sestertius for four. And though the reason for its
being so called no longer existed, yet the denarius
retained its original name. With respect to the weight
of thje denarius, it appears, also according to Pliny
and other writers, that there were, in the ancient
libra, eighty-four denarii.
The problems with Pliny's theory are cited (though
unresolved) by Eckhel, and the chronology of Edward
Sydenham, with regard to the Republic, has been
revised by Michael Crawford in his Roman Republican
Coinage.
A specimen of a denarius of Augustus, struck at
Rome about 19 B.C. by the moneyer M. Durmius is
illustrated by the woodcut below.

The mark of the republican denarius was X with one or

two variations in the form of that letter. A similar mark
was used on the bronze coinage to indicate the weight
of X asses; but on denarii also it donates the value of X
asses, for which, as already stated, the denarius was
given in exchange. Instead of this mark, however, on
coins of the Atilia, Aufidia, Julia, Titinia, and Valeria
families, there appears the numeral XVI, doubtless
indicating the value of the denarius as 16 asses.
With respect to the types of denarii, Pliny simply
states that the type of silver was bigae and quadrigae.
this is true with reference to a large portion, but many
bear other types. Tacitus (De Morib. Germ.) has
mentioned the bigati, and so has Livy frequently, whilst
describing the booty taken in Hispania and Gallia
Cisalpina. On denarii struck during the later periods of
the republic, the types varied in many ways,
conforming to the will of consular magistrates, and
finally of the triumvirs.
The obverses of the early denarii bore the helmeted
head of Roma, while their reverses exhibited
representations of the Dioscuri on horseback (as on the
denarius pictured at the head of this entry); also figures
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driving bigae and quadrigae, from which the pieces

were termed bigati or quadrigati. They were also called
Victoriati, when their types displayed a figure of Victory,
as in the woodcut below, from a denarius of the Fannia
gens, in which the goddess is driving her chariot and
four horses at full speed.

This was also the case with the half denarius, called
the quinarius (see EGNATIA and EGNATULEIA), or
piece of five asses, but of this and of the small silver
coin called sestertius, few specimens are extant.
Examples of the republican denarius can be found
under the respective headings of Atilia (Dioscuri)
Annia (Victory in a quadriga) Baebia (Quadriga)
Caecilia (Biga of elephants) Cipia (Victory in Biga)
Cornelia (Jupiter in Quadriga) Curiatia (Quadriga)
Saufeia (Victory in Biga) etc., etc.
For specimens of the Imperial denarius see Caesar
Augustus Agrippa and Augustus Caligula and
Agrippina Antonia Severus Alexander. To these we
add the cut below from a rare Decursio denarius struck
during the reign of Nero.

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Frequent mention is made of the denarius or (Roman)

penny, in biblical writings, where it is spoken of as the
daily wages of a labourer and too, as the tribute penny,
Whose is this visage and superscription?
Published in England, the Numismatic Illustrations of
the Narrative Portions of the New Testament, quoting
from St. Matthew, the words a penny a day, makes
the following observations:The penny here mentioned was the denarius, which,
at the time of Our Lords ministry, was equivalent in
value to about sevenpence halfpenny of our money.
With the decline of the Roman Empire, the denarius
was by degrees debased; and before the time of
Diocletian had entirely disappeared, or rather had
ceased to be struck in the Imperial mints; but that
emperor restored the coinage of silver; and denarii
were again minted, though reduced in weight. This
reduction went on, after the division of the Empire, until
the denarius, once a very beautiful medalet, became a
coin of very inferior execution, low relief, and reduced
thickness and weight. * * * The term denarius is yet
preserved in our notation of pounds, shillings and
pence, by . s. d. * * * It is worthy of remark, that, in this
country, a penny a day appears to have been the pay
of a field labourer, in the middle ages; whilst, among
the Romans (See Tacitus, Ann, lib.i) the daily pay for a
soldier was a denarius.
From the same work, another passage referring to the
imperial denarius, as circulated during the ministry of
Jesus Christ, can be found cited in this dictionary,
amongst the mintages of TIBERIUS.
Respecting base denarii, see the words MAJORINA
PECUNIA.

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