The habits, customs, and antiquities of the Romans / [W. Andrew].

  • Andrew, W. (Surgeon)
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The habits, customs, and antiquities of the Romans / [W. Andrew]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    63/116 (page 55)
    at the commencement, on one side, waggons, with two or four beasts in them; on the reverse, that of the head of Rome with a helmet. The impres- sions of the consular denarius, as well as that coined by the emperors, were oftentimes altered; besides the head of Rome, on the former, X, or a star was often placed on the reverse, to denote its value in asses; the figures of Castor, and Pollux, and some- times Victory in a chariot, drawn with horses, and the busts of different deities were portrayed upon them; these were superseded at length, by the heads of the Caesars. The denarius under the consular government was the seventh part, and that of the emperors, the eighth part of an ounce : this was equivalent, to seven pence halfpenny, of our money. The denarius, was the usual pay in Rome, for a day’s servitude. The Victoriatus, another silver coin, had the impression of Victory on one side, and on the reverse that of the city of Rome. The value of it, was half the amount of a Denarius, or, equal to about three pence of our present coin. The Sestertius, likewise of silver, represented Castor and Pollux on one side, and the city of Rome on the reverse, it was the fourth part of the value of a denarius. The Obulus, was the sixth part of the Denarius, and equal to the Attick, o/3o\o9. The Libella was the tenth part of the Denarius, and was estimated in value, the same as the As: it was called by this name, from its equality to a pound of brass. r