Home › Tables Of Weights, Measures, Etc › Roman Brass Coins

Roman Brass Coins

The first 6063. Roman Measures of Capacity. brass coin that was used at Rome was called The most common measure of capacity was As, made in the reign of Servius Tullius; and the Amphora, called also Quadrantal or Cadus, being stamped with the heads of oxen, sheep, containing nearly 9 English gallons. They swine, &c., was called pecunia, from pecus. had also a measure called Congius, equal to 1/80 Hence Æs, brass, is often put for money; of an Amphora, or 14 gallon English; and Ærarium, for treasury, &c. Some time after- another called Sextarius, equal to of the wards the stamp was changed, and on one Congius, or about 1½ pints. side it bore the figure of Janus; on the 6064. Roman Division of Time. Romother the beak of a ship. The As originally ulus is said to have divided the year into 10 weighed a pound, but was gradually reduced, months, beginning with March; Numa added and in the first Punic war, Asses were coined the other 2 months. When Julius Cæsar of only 2 ounces in weight; in the second became master of the State, he adjusted the Punic war, of only 1 ounce; and in the year year according to the course of the sun, and of the city 563, of only half an ounce. The assigned to each month the number of days other brass coins were the Semissis, the which it still contains. This is the famous Triens, the Quadrans or Teruncius, and the Julian Year, which continues in use to this day Sextans. The As, in value of our money, in all Christian countries, without any variaabout 1½ cents; the Semissis, half an As; tion except that of the old and new style, Triens, one-third; Quadrans, or Teruncius, occasioned by Pope Gregory, A. D. 1582. The one-fourth; Sextans, one-sixth.