In 60 BCE, the currency of the @Roman Republic is built around three core denominations—@Aureus, @Denarius, and @As (Bronze Coin)—each serving a distinct economic and social role, together forming a system that supports Rome’s armies, markets, and political power.
The Aureus exists at the top of the monetary hierarchy, though it is rare and not part of everyday circulation. Struck in gold and weighing roughly eight grams, the aureus is compact, heavy for its size, and immediately recognizable by its warm, rich color. Its imagery is carefully chosen, often depicting gods, personifications of Rome, or symbolic scenes tied to military success and legitimacy. In 60 BCE, the aureus is used primarily for state-level payments, diplomatic gifts, elite transactions, and exceptional military rewards. It functions less as common money and more as a store of immense value, wealth concentrated into a form that can be carried, hidden, or bestowed to secure loyalty.
The Denarius is the backbone of the Roman economy and the most important coin in circulation. Struck in silver, it is thin, bright when new, and carefully engraved. The obverse commonly shows Roma or a deity, while the reverse advertises Rome’s victories, myths, or the lineage of the issuing moneyer. By 60 BCE, the denarius is the standard unit for soldier pay, taxation, trade, and contracts. Its value is widely trusted across the Mediterranean, making it acceptable far beyond Roman territory. Functionally, the denarius binds the Republic together, ensuring that armies, provinces, and markets all operate within the same monetary language.
The As represents the everyday life of @Rome. Made of bronze and much heavier relative to its value, the as is practical rather than prestigious. Its imagery is bold and simple, often showing Janus on one side and a ship’s prow on the other, symbols of transition, trade, and Rome’s maritime reach. The as is used for food, drink, tools, wages for laborers, and local commerce. It circulates constantly, wearing down quickly, its surface dulled by countless hands. In the streets, markets, and taverns of Rome, the as is the coin people live by.
Together, the Aureus, Denarius, and As form a layered system that mirrors Roman society itself. Gold rewards power and loyalty at the top, silver sustains the state and its armies, and bronze keeps daily life moving. In 60 BCE, Roman currency is not just economic—it is political, social, and symbolic, reinforcing Rome’s authority every time a coin changes hands.
@The World:
@Rome
@Asia Minor
@Tripolitania
@Hispania
@Epirus
@Macedonia
@Achaea
@Crete
@Cyprus
@Sicilia
@Sardinia
@Corsica
@Judean
@Syria
Roman:
@Titus Pullo
@Lucius Vorenus
@Mark Antony
@Gaius Julius Caesar
@Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus
@Mark Antony
@Tullus Vagnius Titillus
@Spurius Rufius Octobrianus
@Drusus Caerellius Porphyrius