Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T13:01:22.779Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

4 - The Roman Coinage under the Antonines Revisited

An Economy of Silver, not Gold*

from Part I - Uncertainty

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 November 2022

Myles Lavan
Affiliation:
University of St Andrews, Scotland
Daniel Jew
Affiliation:
National University of Singapore
Bart Danon
Affiliation:
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, The Netherlands
Get access

Summary

This chapter presents a new estimate of the value of coinage in circulation in the mid-second century CE Roman empire. More than 25 years ago, Richard Duncan-Jones revolutionized ancient economic history by offering a first projection through numismatic and statistical methods. At more than 20 bn sesterces, his estimate implied an anomalously high monetization ratio given past and current estimates of Roman GDP, an issue that economic historians have had to deal with ever since. In the first half, a review of the numismatic evidence points to a much smaller role for gold than posited by Duncan-Jones. The second half presents a new model of the money supply. It uses Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the value of centrally-minted precious metal coins produced annually under Hadrian, and then the total coinage in circulation ca 160 CE. Allowance for various uncertainties and other, minor components of the coinage suggests a money supply of around 16 bn sesterces, with less gold and more silver than expected. However, this is not quite low enough to explain away the monetization ratio, implying a higher GDP and more trade-oriented economy than currently thought. Two appendices contain lengthy but essential technical discussions of the assumptions in the estimate.

Type
Chapter
Information
The Uncertain Past
Probability in Ancient History
, pp. 135 - 194
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abdy, R. A. (2019). Roman Imperial Coinage Series (RIC), Vol. II, Part 3. London: Spink.Google Scholar
Albarède, F., de Callataÿ, F., Debernardi, P. and Bichert-Toft, J. (2021). Model for ancient Greek and Roman coinage production. Journal of Archaeological Science, 131, 111.Google Scholar
Allen, J. (2007). The gold coinage of Trajan dated COS V. American Journal of Numismatics, 19, 3375.Google Scholar
Amandry, M. (2018). The cistophoric coinage of Hadrian: new data. In Tekin, O. (ed.), Second International Congress on the History of Money and Numismatics in the Mediterranean World 5–8 January 2017. Istanbul: AKMED, 25356.Google Scholar
Andreau, J. (2008). The use and survival of coins and of gold and silver in the Vesuvian cities. In Harris, W. V. (ed.), The Monetary Systems of the Greeks and Romans. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 20825.Google Scholar
Aubin, G. (1992). Réflexions sur l’usage de l’or romain dans l’Ouest de la Gaule. In Brenot and Loriot (eds.), 93–99.Google Scholar
Babelon, E. (1901). Traité des monnaies grecques et romaines. Première partie. Théorie et doctrine, Vol. I. Paris: E. Leroux.Google Scholar
Banti, A. (1984). I grandi bronzi imperiali. Aelivs – Atoninvs Pivs. Sesterzi e medaglioni classificati secondo il sistema Cohen, Vol. II, 3. Florence: Banti.Google Scholar
Barkóczi, L. and Bíroné Sey, K. (1963–1964). Bridgeioi aranylelet. Numizmatikai Közlöny, 62–63, 38.Google Scholar
Beckman, M. (2000). The early gold coinage of Trajan’s sixth consulship. American Journal of Numismatics, 12, 11956.Google Scholar
Beckman, M. (2007). Trajan’s gold coinage, AD 112–117. American Journal of Numismatics, 19, 77129.Google Scholar
Beckman, M. (2009a). Intra-family die links in the Antonine mint at Rome. The Numismatic Chronicle (1966–), 169, 20511.Google Scholar
Beckman, M. (2009b). The significance of Roman imperial coin types. Klio, 91, 14461.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beckman, M. (2011). Trajan’s gold coinage dated COS V, AD 103–111. American Journal of Numismatics, 23, 16988.Google Scholar
Beckman, M. (2012). Diva Faustina: Coinage and Cult in Rome and the Provinces. New York: American Numismatic Society.Google Scholar
Beckman, M. (2019). The gold coinage of Hadrian AD 130–138. American Journal of Numismatics, 31, 14588.Google Scholar
Blanchet, A. (1895). Le trésor monétaire de Bosco Reale. Revue Numismatique, 13, 57475.Google Scholar
Blanchet, A. (1900). Les trésors de monnaies romaines et les invasions germaniques en Gaule. Paris: Ernest Leroux.Google Scholar
Bland, R. (2018). Quantifying the size of a coinage: die-studies or coin finds. In Elkins, N. and DeRose Evans, J. (eds.), Concordia Disciplinarum: Essays on Ancient Coinage, History, and Archaeology in Honor of William E. Metcalf, Numismatic Studies 38. New York: American Numismatic Society, 223–33.Google Scholar
Bland, R. and Loriot, X. (2010). Roman and Early Byzantine Gold Coins Found in Britain and Ireland: With an Appendix of New Finds from Gaul 46. London: Royal Numismatic Society.Google Scholar
Bost, J.-P., Campo, M. and Gurt, J. M. (1992). Trouvailles d’aurei et de solidi dans la péninsule ibérique. In Brenot and Loriot (eds.), 3389.Google Scholar
Bolin, S. (1958). State and Currency in the Roman Empire to 300 AD. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksells.Google Scholar
Bransbourg, G. (2015). Sixty years of economic and monetary history research in the Annali in 5,000 words. Annali Dell’Istituto Italiano Di Numismatica, 61, 12761.Google Scholar
Breglia, L. (1950). Circolazione monetale ed aspetti di vita economica a Pompei. In A. Maiuro (ed.), Pompeiana: raccolta di studi per il secondo centenario degli di Pompei. Naples: Macchiaroli, 4159.Google Scholar
Brenot, C. and Loriot, X. (eds.) (1992). Cahiers Ernest-Babelon: L’or monnayé III: trouvailles de monnaies d’or dans l’Occident romain. 4. Paris: Éditions du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.Google Scholar
Burgers, P. (2001). Coinage and state expenditure: The reign of Claudius AD 41–54. Zeitschrift Für Papyrologie Und Epigraphik, 50, 96114.Google Scholar
Burnett, A. M. (1977). The authority to coin in the late Republic and early Empire. The Numismatic Chronicle, 137, 3763.Google Scholar
Burnett, A. M. (1991). Interpreting the Past: Coins. London: British Museum Press.Google Scholar
Butcher, K. (2004). Coinage in Roman Syria: Northern Syria, 64 BC–AD 253. London: Royal Numismatic Society.Google Scholar
Butcher, K. (2015). Syria in the Roman Period, 64 BC–AD 260. In Metcalf, W. (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Greek and Roman Coinage. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 46884.Google Scholar
Butcher, K. and Ponting, M. (2014). The Metallurgy of Roman Silver Coinage: From the Reform of Nero to the Reform of Trajan. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Buttrey, T. V. (1993). The President’s address: Calculating ancient coin production: facts and fantasies. The Numismatic Chronicle, 153, 33551.Google Scholar
Buttrey, T. V., de Callataÿ, F., Bulgarelli, O. and Duncan-Jones, R. (1997). Interventi. Annali Dell’Istituto Italiano Di Numismatica, 44, 6390.Google Scholar
Callu, J.-P. and Loriot, X. (1992). Avant-propos. In Brenot and Loriot (eds.), 2132.Google Scholar
Canessa, C. (1909). Le trésor monétaire de Boscoreale. Le Musée, 6, 25965.Google Scholar
Cantilena, R. (2008). Pompei: rinvenimenti monetali nella Regio VI. Roma: Istituto italiano di numismatica.Google Scholar
Carbone, L. (2021). The introduction of Roman coinages in Asia (133 BC–1st Century AD). In Ashton, R. H. J. and Badoud, N. (eds.), Graecia capta? Rome et les monnayages de l’Egée aux IIe-Ier s. av. J.-C. Basel: Schwabe, 23393.Google Scholar
Carter, G. (1983). A simplified method for calculating the original number of dies from die link statistics. Museum Notes, 28, 195206.Google Scholar
Carradice, I. (1984). Coinage and Finances in the Reign of Domitian A.D. 81–96, BAR International Series 178. Oxford: BAR.Google Scholar
Crawford, M. (1974). Roman Republican Coinage. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Creighton, J. (2014). The supply and movement of denarii in Roman Britain, Britannia, 45, 12163.Google Scholar
de Callataÿ, F. (1987). Statistique et numismatique: les limites d’un apport. Revue des Archéologues et Historiens d’Art de Louvain, 20, 7695.Google Scholar
de Callataÿ, F. (1995). Calculating ancient coin production: seeking a balance. The Numismatic Chronicle, 155, 289311.Google Scholar
de Callataÿ, F. (1997). Recueil quantitatif des émissions monétaires hellénistiques. Wetteren: Numismatique Romaine.Google Scholar
de Callataÿ, F. (2000). Les taux de survie des émissions monétaires antiques, médiévales et modernes. Essai de mise en perspective et conséquence quant à la productivité des coins dans l’Antiquité. Revue Numismatique, 155, 87109.Google Scholar
de Callataÿ, F. (2005). A quantitative survey of Hellenistic coinages: recent achievements. In Archibald, Z. H., Davies, J. K. and Gabrielsen, V. (eds.), Making, Moving and Managing the New World of Ancient Economies, 323–31 BC. Oxford: Oxbow, 7391.Google Scholar
de Callataÿ, F. (ed.). (2011). Quantifying Monetary Supplies in Greco-Roman Times. Bari: Edipuglia.Google Scholar
De La Hoz Montoya, J. (2008). Aproximación a la escala de la circulación monetaria en tiempos de Nerón. Annali Dell’Istituto Italiano Di Numismatica, 54, 177227.Google Scholar
Depeyrot, G. (2016). Currency, the Pompeiians and Vesuvius. Wetteren: Moneta.Google Scholar
Duncan-Jones, R. (1994). Money and Government in the Roman Empire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Duncan-Jones, R. (2003). Roman coin circulation and the cities of Vesuvius. In Lo Cascio, E. (ed.), Credito e moneta nel mondo romano: atti degli Incontri capresi di storia dell’economia antica: Capri, 12–14 ottobre 2000. Bari: Edipuglia, 16180.Google Scholar
Ellis, S. J. R. (2016). Re-evaluating Pompeii’s coin finds: Monetary transactions and urban waste in the retail economy of an ancient city. In Wilson, A. and Flohr, M. (eds.), Economy of Pompeii. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 293338.Google Scholar
Ercolani Cocchi, E. (1992). Trouvailles de monnaies d’or romaines en Émilie. In Brenot and Loriot (eds.), 12954.Google Scholar
Esty, W. (1986). Estimation of the size of a coinage: A survey and comparison of Methods. Numismatic Chronicle, 146, 185215.Google Scholar
Esty, W. (2011). The geometric model for estimating the number of dies. In de Callataÿ 2011, 4358.Google Scholar
Faucher, T. (2011). Productivité des coins et taux de survie du monnayage grec. In de Callataÿ 2011, 11326.Google Scholar
Faucher, T., Brousseau, L. and Olivier, J. (2013). Expérimentations sur la technique de fabrication des monnaies grecques: approches, réalisation, perspectives. In Tereygeol, F. (ed.), Comprendre les savoir-faire métallurgiques antiques et médiévaux. Paris: Errance, 7199.Google Scholar
Flohr, M. (2016). Quantifying Pompeii: Population, inequality, and the urban economy. In Wilson, A. and Flohr, M. (eds.), Economy of Pompeii. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 5386.Google Scholar
Găzdac, C. (2003). Monetary Circulation in Dacia and the Provinces from the Middle and Lower Danube from Trajan to Constantine I (AD 106–337). Cluj-Napoca: Nereamia Napocae.Google Scholar
Giard, J.-B. (1983). Le monnayage de l’atelier de Lyon: des origines au règne de Caligula, 43 avant J.-C.–41 après J.-C. Wetteren: Éditions Numismatique romaine.Google Scholar
Giordano, C. (1974). Iscrizioni graffite e depinte nella Casa di C. Iulio Polibio. Rendiconti dell’ Academia di Archeologia, Lettere e Belle Arti, Naples 49 (n.s.), 2128.Google Scholar
Gitler, H. and Ponting, M. (2003). The Silver Coinage of Septimius Severus and His Family, 193–211 AD: A Study of the Chemical Composition of the Roman and Eastern Issues, Glaux 16. Milan: Ennerre.Google Scholar
Goldsmith, R. W. (1987). Premodern Financial Systems: A Historical Comparative Study. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Gorini, G. (1992). Trouvailles de monnaies d’or de la X Regio: Venetia – Histria (Ier s. av J.-C.–VIIe s. ap. J.-C.). In Brenot and Loriot (eds.), 155214.Google Scholar
Hendy, M. (1985). Studies in the Byzantine Monetary Economy, c. 300–1450. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Hobbs, R. (2013). Currency and Exchange in Ancient Pompeii: Coins from the AAPP excavations at Regio VI, Insula 1. London: Institute of Classical Studies.Google Scholar
Hopkins, K. (1980). Taxes and trade in the Roman Empire (200 B.C.–A.D. 400). Journal of Roman Studies, 70, 10125.Google Scholar
Howgego, C. (1996). Review of money and government in the Roman Empire. Journal of Roman Studies, 86, 20809.Google Scholar
Hoyer, D. (2018). An overview of the numismatic evidence from imperial Roman Africa, ISAW papers 13. http://dlib.nyu.edu/awdl/isaw/isaw-papers/13/Google Scholar
Huvelin, H. (1988). Découverte à Troyes sous Louis XV d’un trésor de monnaies d’or romaines. Revue Numismatique, 31, 11337.Google Scholar
Jongman, W. (2003). A golden age: Death, money supply and social succession in the Roman Empire. In Lo Cascio, E. (ed.), Credito e moneta nel mondo romano: atti degli Incontri capresi di storia dell’economia antica: Capri, 12–14 ottobre 2000. Bari: Edipuglia, 18196.Google Scholar
Kinns, P. (1983). The Amphictionic coinage reconsidered. Numismatic Chronicle, 143, 122.Google Scholar
Kraay, C. M. (1956). Aes Coinage of Galba. New York: American Numismatic Society.Google Scholar
Kremydi, S. and Iakovidou, A. (2015). Corinth and Athens: Numismatic circulation from the Late Republic to the High Empire. In van Alfen, P., Bransbourg, G. and Amandry, M. (eds.), FIDES. Contributions to Numismatics in Honor of Richard B. Witschonke. New York: American Numismatic Society, 45783.Google Scholar
Kroll, J. H., and Walker, A. S. (1993). The Greek Coins. Princeton: The American School of Classical Studies at Athens.Google Scholar
Kunisz, A. (1983). Udział Złotego Pieniądza w cyrkulacji na terytorium Egiptu w I-III W. N. E. Wiadomości Numizmatyczne, 27, 12199.Google Scholar
Lacour-Gayet, G. (1881). Fastes consulaires des dix premières années du règne d’Antonin le pieux. Mélanges d’archéologie et d’histoire, 1, 68110.Google Scholar
Lempereur, O. (2020). Recherches Numismatiques sur l’Empereur Pertinax. Corpus du monnayage impérial et provincial. Bourdeau: Éditions Ausonius.Google Scholar
Ling, R. (1983). The insula of the Menander at Pompeii: Interim report. The Antiquaries Journal, 63(1), 3457.Google Scholar
Ling, R. (2005). Pompeii: History, Life and Afterlife. Stroud: Tempus.Google Scholar
Lo Cascio, E. (1992). La vita economica e sociale. In Zevi, F. (ed.), Pompei, II. Naples: Banco di Napoli, 11331.Google Scholar
Lo Cascio, E. (1994). The size of the Roman population: Beloch and the meaning of the Augustan census figures. Journal of Roman Studies, 84, 2340.Google Scholar
Lo Cascio, E., de Callataÿ, F., Foraboschi, D., Savio, A., Buttrey, T. V. and Bulgarelli, O. (1997). Tavola rotonda (organizzata dall’Istituto Italiano di Numismatica e dalla British School at Rome) su Metodi statistici e analisi quantitative della produzione di monete nel mondo antico. Tendenze e prospettive della ricerca (Rome, British School, 11 October 1997). Annali Dell’Istituto Italiano Di Numismatica, 44, 913.Google Scholar
Lo Cascio, E. and Duncan-Jones, R. (1997). Produzione monetaria, finanza pubblica ed economia nel principato. Rivista Storica Italiana, 109, 65077.Google Scholar
Lockyear, K. (1996). Multivariate Money: A Statistical Analysis of Roman Republican Coin Hoards with Special Reference to Material from Romania. Unpublished PhD thesis, University College London.Google Scholar
Lockyear, K. (2007). Patterns and Process in Late Roman Republican Coin Hoards, 157–2 BC. Oxford: Archaeopress.Google Scholar
Loriot, X. (2003). Réflexions sur l’usage et les usagers de la monnaie d’or sous l’Empire romain. Revue Numismatique, 6 (159), 5774.Google Scholar
Loriot, X. (2013). Vingt ans après … Supplément à l’inventaire des trouvailles de monnaies d’or isolées faites en Gaule romaine (44 av.–491 apr. J.-C.). In Amandry, M. (ed.), Trésors Monétaires XXV: 2011–2012. Paris: Éditions de la Bibliothèque nationale de France, 257339.Google Scholar
MacDowall, D. W. (1979). The Western Coinages of Nero. New York: American Numismatic Society.Google Scholar
Maddison, A. (2007). Contours of the World Economy 1–2030 AD: Essays in Macro-Economic History. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Mattingly, H. and Sydenham, E. A. (1926). The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. II. London: Spink.Google Scholar
Metcalf, D. M. (1981). What has been achieved through the application of statistics to numismatics? PACT: Statistics and Numismatics. Journal of the European Study Group on Physical, Chemical and Mathematical Techniques Applied to Archaeology, 5, 324.Google Scholar
Metcalf, W. E. (1988). The joint reign gold of Justin I and Justinian I. In Hahn, W. and Metcalf, W. E. (eds.), Studies in Early Byzantine Gold Coinage. New York: American Numismatic Society, 1927.Google Scholar
Metcalf, W. E. (1989). Rome and Lugdunum again. American Journal of Numismatics, 15170.Google Scholar
Metcalf, W. E. (1995). Review of R. Duncan-Jones’s Money and Government in the Roman Empire. Swiss Numismatic Review, 74, 14559.Google Scholar
Monteix, N. (2012). Pompéi et Herculanum, observatoires privilégiés de résiliences urbaines inachevées? In Djament-Tran, G. and Reghezza-Zitt, M. (eds.), Résiliences urbaines. Les villes face à la catastrophe. Paris : Le Manuscrit, 4771.Google Scholar
Morrisson, C. (2002). Byzantine money: its production and circulation. In Laiou, A. E. (ed.), The Economic History of Byzantium: From the Seventh through the Fifteenth Century. Washington, D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, 90966.Google Scholar
Olivier, J. and Lorber, C. (2013). Three gold coinages of third-century Ptolemaic Egypt. Revue Belge de Numismatique et de Sigillographie, 159, 49150.Google Scholar
Savino, E. (2009). Nerone, Pompei e il terremoto del 63 d.C. In Storchi Marino, A. and Merola, D. (eds.), Interventi imperiali in campo economico e sociale. Bari: Edipuglia, 225–44.Google Scholar
Scheidel, W. and Friesen, S. J. (2009). The size of the economy and the distribution of income in the Roman Empire. Journal of Roman Studies, 99, 6191.Google Scholar
Sellwood, D. G. (1963). Some experiments in Greek minting technique. Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society 3, 21731.Google Scholar
Sutherland, C. H. V. (1984). The Roman Imperial Coinage. From 31 BC to AD 69, Revised edn, Vol. I. London: Spink.Google Scholar
Sutherland, C. H. V., Olcay, N. and Merrington, K. E. (1970). The Cistophori of Augustus. London: Royal Numismatic Society.Google Scholar
Sutherland, C. H. V. (1973). Augustan aurei and denarii attributable to the mint of Pergamum. Revue Numismatique, 6(15), 12951.Google Scholar
Tameanko, M. (1994). Boscoreale: the aurei from the fabulous treasure of 1895. The Celator, 8(3), 616.Google Scholar
Temin, P. (2007). Estimating GDP in the Early Roman Empire. In Lo Cascio, E. (ed.), Innovazione tecnica e progresso economico nel mondo romano. Atti degli incontri capresi dell’economia antica. Capri, 13–16 aprile 2003. Bari: Edipuglia, 3154.Google Scholar
Thirion, M. (1972). Le trésor de Liberchies: aurei des Ier et IIe siècles. Brussels: P. Geminaco.Google Scholar
Van Heesch, J. (2011). Quantifying Roman imperial coinage. In de Callataÿ (ed.), Bari: Edipuglia, 311–28.Google Scholar
Van Heesch, J. (2020): Some thoughts on the value of the Roman aureus. Numismatische Zeitschrift, 126, 26581.Google Scholar
Verboven, K. (2016). Currency and credit in the Bay of Naples in the first century AD. In Flohr, M. and Wilson, A. (eds.), The Economy of Pompeii. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 36386.Google Scholar
Von Freyberg, H.-U. (1989). Kapitalverkehr und Handel im römischen Kaiserreich: 27 v. Chr.–235 n. Chr. Freiburg. im Breisgau: Haufe.Google Scholar
von Kaenel, H.-M. (1986). Münzprägung und Münzbildnis des Claudius. Berlin: W. de Gruyter.Google Scholar
Willers, W. 1902. Römische Goldmünzen nebst Gold- und Silberbarren aus Italica bei Sevilla. Numismatische Zeitschrift, 34, 2948.Google Scholar
Wolters, R. (2012). The Julio-Claudians. In Metcalf, W. E. (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Greek and Roman Coinage. New York: Oxford University Press, 33555.Google Scholar
Woodward, A. M. (1957). The coinage of Pertinax. Numismatic Chronicle, 17, 8496.Google Scholar
Woodward, A. M. (1961). The coinage of Didius Julianus and his family. The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society, 1, 7190.Google Scholar
Woytek, B. (2008). The aureus under Trajan: The metrological evidence. American Journal of Numismatics, 20 (second series), 43557.Google Scholar
Woytek, B. (2010). Die Reichsprägung des Kaisers Traianus (98–117). Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×