The Roman monetary system

 In the centuries before us, there were many great empires that marked the rise and fall of human history. But it seems that one of all these empires comes to the fore in our minds or the so-called "common culture" and this is the Roman Empire. Ancient Roman economic history is permanently marked by its three major periods during which the state-political development of ancient Rome, these are: 

-King's period (VIII - VI BC);

-Republican period (VI-I BC);

-Emperial period (I BC-V AD);

The times of kings (VIII-VI BC)

 During the royal period, the main economic activity of the Apennines was the agricultural production with a pronounced natural character, as the main agricultural crop was wheat. Trade during this period was quite poorly developed by the so-called "barter" type - a natural exchange with which the people of this period thus obtained the necessary things.

 Subsequently, they began to use bronze blocks as a medium of exchange, and after the settlement of southern Italy and the island of Sicily by Greek colonists, the Latins adopted the idea of ​​coins.

Period of the Republic (VI-I BC)

 Until the initial period of the republic, there was still no "money", which led to the construction of the first Roman monetary palace , which is believed to have worked around 290 BC. Shortly afterwards, several more monetary palaces  were opened in various parts of Italy.

 In 270 BC, the Romans headed the administration of the central and southern parts of the Apennine Peninsula, as well as the island of Sicily. The constant wars not only expanded the territorial scope of the Roman Republic, but also helped create a stable market for products, expanding of trade and increasing the role of money.

Imperial period (I BC - V AD)

 After the death of Caesar (44 BC) and the Civil War, Rome was transformed from a republic into an empire, led by the first Roman emperor, Octavian Augustus.

 His rule put an end to the republican system, and the emperor himself commanded in 27 BC silver and gold coins could be minted only in Rome, and some of the less valuable bronze and copper coins could be minted in the provinces. As in the whole empire, the same money began to be used.

 Some of the most common Roman coins continued to be minted and in circulation even after the Republican period.

 Characteristic of coins minted in the era of the empire was that on the obverse of the coins stood a portrait of the ruler, and on the back there were symbols associated with the imperial achievements or the symbol of the city (mint house) from which it originated. To commemorate the great victories of the distinguished emperors, special coins were issued, and when an emperor hated by the Romans was killed, the coins with his face were withdrawn from circulation or simply erased.

 Over time, the minting of coins gradually improved, and sometimes the images on them were made with great artistic mastery and became a real work of art.