1851.] Remarks on some lately-discovered Roman Gold Coins. 373 



over a period of 23 years — a long time in comparison with that of the 

 other Emperors excepting Augustus. In other respects the coins are 

 of similar dates with an occasional difference of the types on the 

 reverse of a few of them. No attempt appears hitherto to have heen 

 made to investigate if possible in what manner these relics of an age 

 so long passed by, and of a people so interesting as the Romans from 

 their distant conquests and foreign commerce, happened to be con- 

 veyed to these countries, where they are again brought to light after 

 having been concealed for so many hundred years. 



Before entering upon the subject of the earlier communication which 

 the Romans had with India, a few words upon the history and pro- 

 gress of the later coinage of that people may not be altogether out of 

 place while treating of a matter fraught with so much interest as the 

 present. 



Omitting purposely to say any thing about the coinage of the 

 " Kingly period" it might be merely mentioned that the first gold 

 coin that was struck at Rome was in the year 546 A. U. C. or about 

 two hundred and six years before the birth of Christ — the silver coin- 

 age having been introduced about sixty years previously. In order to 

 distinguish and separate more clearly the coins of the Republic from 

 those of the Empire, the former have been termed " Consular" and the 

 latter "Imperial" coins. Under the Empire the coinage both of gold 

 and silver money was a privilege exclusively reserved for the Emperors 

 themselves, and during the first Csesars this was rigidly maintained, 

 while to the senate was entrusted the superintendence of those of cop- 

 per and other materials. The largest gold coins were called " Aurei," 

 there being, besides these, coins of silver (Argentei), also brass and 

 copper. The mint (Moneta) was a large building set apart for the 

 purpose on the Capitoline hill, and it is a singular fact that the earliest 

 coins of Rome were cast in a mould and not struck off in the customary 

 manner. These moulds (formse) were made of stone and some have 

 been preserved to the present day. During the Republic the mint was 

 under the superintendence of certain officers nominated for that pur- 

 pose, but beyond this, very little is known regarding the internal 

 management of that department. Every citizen, however, had the 

 right of having his own money coined in the public mint and not only 

 was there no reservation for the state for an exclusive coinage but there 



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