The Coinage of Ancient Rome Trivia Quiz

Answer: Aes signatum

"Aes" is the Latin word for bronze.

Answer: 280-260 b.c.

There is some dispute about the exact date, but it is certain that the Romans were issuing coins by 260 b.c.

Answer: didrachm

When Rome began issuing its coinage, the economy of Italy was dominated by various Greek colonies. So the Romans issued their first coins on the Greek standard.

Answer: denarius

There was a Roman coin called an argentus, but it was minted only briefly during the latter stages of the Empire. Our word "penny" is derived from "denarius."

Answer: sesterces

The sestertius (pl. sesterces) was a large bronze coin worth 1/4 of a denarius. If Cicero or Augustus were to tell you how much something cost, he would have said it was so many sesterces. During the latter days of the Empire, say the 4th century a.d. onwards, things were usually priced in terms of denarii.

In the movie "The Robe," Richard Burton bids "5000 pieces of gold," for a slave; the Romans would never have done this.

Answer: A unit of weight

In the movie "Ben-Hur," Messala wagers 1000 talents (presumably of silver) on the outcome of the chariot race. It's difficult to know how much this sum represents, because there were royal talents, common talents, Roman talents, Attic talents, Jewish talents, etc. Furthermore, no one can seem to agree exactly how much a talent weighed.

A good guess for a Roman talent would be 50 to 60 pounds.

Answer: It was minted by the authority of the Senate

The letters stand for "senatus consulto," or "by the decree of the Senate." During the early days of the Empire, the minting of gold and silver coins was under control of the emperor, but the Senate retained responsibility for minting bronze coins.

Answer: quadrans

The quadrans was a tiny coin worth 1/4 of a copper as; two quadrans equalled a semis; two semis equalled an as; two asses equalled a dupondius; four asses equalled a sestertius; four sesterces equalled a denarius; and 25 denarii equalled an aureus. These values are correct for the 1st century a.d. The quadrans would pay for admission to a public bath or latrine.

Answer: False

Throughout the history of the Republic and the Empire, coins were minted in at least 40 cities, and probably more. The mint in Rome was located in the temple of Juno Moneta, which is the source of our word "money."

Answer: Egypt

Egypt kept its own system of coinage, based on the Greek drachm, until 296 a.d. Egypt lost its unique monetary system during the reforms of Diocletian.

Answer: Gallienus

When Gallienus (253 - 268 a.d.) became Emperor, the coinage was already very debased. During his disastrous reign almost all silver was removed. He tried to disguise this fact by issuing copper coins which were silver-plated.

Answer: About 1/5 oz

Unlike the silver coinage, Roman gold coins continued to be minted from good metal through the history of the Empire, undergoing only minor debasement. The weight of the aureus did tend to fluctuate a bit, but it was usually minted at 60 aureii to the Roman pound, which works out to about 1/5 oz of precious metal.

Answer: solidus

The solidus was minted at 72 to the pound, so it was about 20% lighter in weight than the aureus. The solidus continued to be minted until the fall of the Empire.

Answer: It is a posthumous issue

These coins were issued to honor deceased emperors and members of their families. They often depict a funeral pyre, a phoenix or some other symbol or rebirth.

Answer: Vespasian and Titus

Vespasian was the Roman general who suppressed the Jewish rebellion; his son, Titus, commanded the Roman troops who captured the fortress of Massada. The coins in this series are eagerly sought by collectors; many show a Jewess mourning at the base of a palm tree, and the legend "Iudea Capta."

Answer: Diocletian

Diocletian introduced a new coin called the "follis." The old bronze coins were no longer issued, since inflation had made them valueless. Interestingly enough, things were still priced in terms of denarii, even though the denarius was no longer issued.

His wage and price controls didn't work, but his edict was valuable, because it gives us some idea of the price of various items during his reign.

Answer: They were recalled by the Senate and melted down

After his death, the Senate decreed (among other things) that all of Caligula's coins be recalled from circulation and melted down. Although his reign lasted only about four years, his coins are much scarcer than those of Titus, who reigned for only two years.

Answer: Greek Imperial coins

Up until the end of the 3rd century a.d., many cities in the eastern provinces were granted the privilege of strinking their own bronze coins for local use. Since Greek was the language spoken in the East, the legends on the coins are in Greek.

Answer: Cassius

Cassius did issue coins during the Civil War, but they bear the head of Liberty, not his portrait. The others all issued portrait coinage.

Answer: Less than $50

One of the first lessons a coin collector learns is that old does not equal valuable. An "antoninianus," a silver coin worth two denarii and about the size of a nickel, can be purchased for as little as $20 or $30. Not only coins of Gordian III, but those of many other 3rd century emperors are very inexpensive.

A similar coin of Gordian I, however, would set you back $2000 or more; he reigned for only a few days!