An 8.18-gram Roman gold aureus from the time of Julius Caesar (died 44 BCE) would contain gold worth $330.50. The spot price of silver is $14.22 per Troy ounce.
How much is a solidus worth?
Solidus (“solid coin”): The basic unit of the Byzantine monetary system, equaling 1/72 of one Roman pound of gold.
How much is a Roman denarius worth today?
During Roman times, there was a period when a denarius was worth about a day’s wages. By today’s numbers, the quotient of silver contained in a denarius is worth about $3.62.
How much was a loaf of bread in Rome?
More than 2,000 years before the low-carb revolution, bread was the staple of the Roman diet, and you could expect to pay 2 asses for a one-pound loaf. A half-liter of top-shelf ancient wine cost up to 30 asses, while a new tunic cost about 15 sestertii.
What was the weight of the first Roman coin?
These coins, known as the silver stater and the silver didrachm, weighed roughly 1/48 th of a Roman pound (approximately 6.8 grams). After the Romans used these coins for some time, they went on to produce their own truly Roman coin. The first true Roman silver coin was minted circa 225 BC.
How much gold was in Constantine’s solidus coin?
Constantine’s solidus was struck at a rate of 72 to a Roman pound (of about 326.6 g) of pure gold; each coin weighed 24 Greco-Roman carats (189 mg each), or about 4.5 grams of gold per coin.
When was the first silver coin minted in Rome?
The first true Roman silver coin was minted circa 225 BC. These coins were named “quadrigati” after the Roman quadriga that appeared on their reverse. The quadrigas were the 4 horse chariots that the Romans used for racing, as well as war.
What was the value of the first silver denarius?
Set at a standard weight of 1/72 of a Roman pound (roughly 4.5g) of silver, the first silver denarii immediately formed the backbone of coinage throughout the Roman Republic. While some historians have estimated the coin’s original value to be three day’s pay for a soldier, it is not certain what the coin’s original value was.
