396 On the Ancient Roman Coins. {\Sept. 



grains in weight, passing for 25 silver denarii and 100 sestertii : it de- 

 clined to 80 grains in Gallienus' time : Aurelian attempted in vain to 

 restore its weight to 100 grains. Besides the term aureus , it generally 

 took a cognomen from the emperor, whose image it bore, as is still the 

 case with the coin of many modern countries. Constantine introduc- 

 ed a new name and system of subdivision of the gold coin, but main- 

 tained his solidus of gold of the same weight as the aureus, or 80 grains ; 

 it became current throughout Europe as the Bezant (from Byzanti- 

 um), and gradually dwindled to less than half its size and value with 

 the decline of the empire. 



The principal silver coin of the republic was called denarius : it 

 weighed 90 grains, and was worth, as its name implied, 10 copper 

 uses : its subdivisions were the quinarius (5 uses), and the sestertius 

 (half the third, that is, 2^ uses). In the reign of Augustus the weight 

 of both copper and silver coins had declined, and the denarius (then 

 of 60 grs. weight) was made equivalent to 16 as. The sestertius thence- 

 forward ceased to be a silver coin, and in lieu thereof, the handsome 

 large brass medals, so prized by collectors, were first struck, weigh- 

 ing a Roman ounce. The silver quinarius (also called victoriatus from 

 the common figure on its reverse) lasted to the time of the Philips. At 

 that period the denarius having diminished to 40 grs. was called minu- 

 tus, and a new piece called orgenteus philippeus of 60 grs. or one-half 

 heavier ,was introduced as an equivalent for 24 ases of copper, or six brass 

 sestertii. This again dwindled down to 40 grs. by the time of Galli- 

 enus, when all the inferior silver, as well as the large brass, disappeared 

 entirely, and small silvered copper pieces (denarii aeris), weighing 60 

 grs. took the place of the sestertii, and passed current as tokens of 

 10 ases value; the silver philippeus itself being, as before, 60 as, or six 

 of the plated denarii. Diocletian restored the silver denarius of 60 grs. 

 and replaced the denarius wris by the follis, a new copper coin of 

 ■I an ounce, silvered or tinned : six of these as before were equal to the 

 denarius, or to 60 copper ases of 60 grs. weight each. 



Once more, the new denarius had declined to nearly 40 grs. by the 

 time of Constantine, under whom its name was changed to centenionalis, 

 so called because 100 pieces^=:ltb of silver, and a new 70 grs. 

 piece was instituted, having the title of milliarensis, from 1000 

 pieces being equal in value to one pound of gold. The copper follis 

 remained of half an oz. in weight, but 24 now went to the milli- 

 arensis : Numerous fractional parts of the latter also were made : the 



tjHio-v <po\eos, or J ; reraproy, or 5 ; ofroXov^ or ^ ; aaapiov^ or ^, (now of 



only 20 grains,) and the vovniov y or 5 \j ; from this last coin, the marks upon. 



