The above types are those of the coins of Rome itself. The æs grave of the other Italian states had different types.
The As first issued in Rome is said to have weighed one pound, hence it was called the As Libralis. The earliest known specimens of the Libral series date from about B.C. 400. As time went on, it was gradually reduced in weight, at first to 4 ounces, about B.C. 268 (Triental Reduction), and subsequently, B.C. 217, to 1 ounce (Uncial Reduction), and somewhat later even to ½ an ounce.
§ OF THE SILVER “CONSULAR” COINAGE.
(2) Silver money was first struck in Rome about B.C. 268. It consisted of the following denominations:—
| The Denarius (= 10 Asses). | Obv. Head of Roma;
Rev. The Dioscuri. | Mark of value | X |
| The Quinarius (= 5 Asses). | Similar types | " | V or Q |
| The Sestertius (= 2½ Asses). | " | " | IIS |
Afterwards another denomination called the Victoriatus was added: Obv. Head of Jupiter; Rev. Victory crowning a trophy. This was a coin of Campanian origin, and its value was ¾ of the denarius. The types of the silver money, at first constant and uniform, were subsequently varied according to the pleasure of the officers entrusted with the supervision of the coinage. The types of the Roman denarii of the last century of the Republic generally contain allusions to past (but never or very rarely to contemporary) events connected with the family of the moneyer. Hence such pieces may be called Family coins, but to give this name to the whole series of Republican denarii is incorrect.
At first it is supposed that the direction of the Roman mint was entrusted to the Consuls themselves, but it was not long before special magistrates were appointed from time to time to superintend the currency. These Triumviri or Tresviri Monetales were officially designated as Tresviri auro argento aere flando feriundo, a title abbreviated on some coins to IIIVIR. A. A. A. F. F. The adjective Monetalis referred to the temple of Juno Moneta, in which the mint was situated, and from this epithet of Juno our modern word “Money” is derived.
It is usual, though not strictly scientific, to arrange a cabinet of Roman Republican denarii under the family names of the moneyers, in alphabetical order. As the family name does not always occur upon the coin, the following table of surnames and of the families to which they belong will be found useful to the young collector in arranging his coins.
| Surname. | Family. |
| Acisculus | Valeria. |
| Agrippa | Luria. |
| " | Vipsania. |
| Ahala | Servilia. |
| Ahenobarbus | Domitia. |
| Albinus | Postumia. |
| Antiaticus | Mænia. |
| Aquinus | Cæcilia. |
| Asiagenes | Cornelia. |
| Atratinus | Sempronia. |
| Augurinus | Minucia. |
| Bala | Ælia. |
| Balbus | Acilia. |
| " | Antonia. |
| " | Atia. |
| " | Cornelia. |
| " | Nævia. |
| " | Thoria. |
| Bassus | Betiliena. |
| Bibulus | Calpurnia. |
| Blandus | Rubellia. |
| Blasio | Cornelia. |
| Brocchus | Furia. |
| Brutus | Junia. |
| Buca | Æmilia. |
| Bursio | Julia. |
| Cæicianus | Cassia. |
| Cæpio | Servilia. |
| Cæsar | Julia. |
| Caldus | Cœia. |
| Capella | Nævia. |
| Capito | Fonteia. |
| " | Maria. |
| " | Oppia. |
| Capitolinus | Petillia. |
| Carbo | Papiria. |
| Casca | Servilia. |
| Cato | Porcia. |
| Catullus | Valeria. |
| Celer | Cassia. |
| Celsus | Papia. |
| Censorinus | Marcia. |
| Cerco | Lutatia. |
| Cestianus | Plætoria. |
| Cethegus | Cornelia. |
| Chilo, Cilo | Flaminia. |
| Cinna | Cornelia. |
| Cocles | Horatia. |
| Cordus | Mucia. |
| Cossus | Cornelia. |
| Costa | Pedania. |
| Cotta | Aurelia. |
| Crassipes | Furia. |
| Crassus | Licinia. |
| " | Canidia. |
| Crispinus | Quinctia. |
| Croto | Metilia. |
| Dossenus | Rubria. |
| Fabatus | Roscia. |
| Faustus | Cornelia. |
| Felix | Cornelia. |
| Flaccus | Rutilia. |
| " | Valeria. |
| Flavius | Decimia. |
| Florus | Aquillia. |
| Fostulus | Pompeia. |
| Frugi | Calpurnia. |
| Gal[eria] | Memmia. |
| Galba | Sulpicia. |
| Gallus | Asinia. |
| " | Caninia. |
| Geminus | Aburia. |
| Geta | Hosidia. |
| Grag[ulus] | Antestia. |
| Gracchus | Sempronia. |
| Hemic... | Flavia. |
| Hypsæus | Plautia. |
| Judex | Vettia. |
| Junianus | Licinia. |
| Kalenus | Fufia. |
| Labeo | Fabia. |
| Labienus | Atia? |
| Læca | Porcia. |
| Lamia | Ælia. |
| Lariscolus | Accoleia. |
| Lentulus | Cornelia. |
| Lepidus | Æmilia. |
| Libo | Marcia. |
| " | Scribonia. |
| Licinus | Porcia. |
| Limetanus | Mamilia. |
| Longinus | Cassia. |
| Longus | Mussidia. |
| Lucanus | Terentia. |
| Lupercus | Gallia. |
| Macer | Licinia. |
| " | Sepullia. |
| Magnus | Pompeia. |
| Malleolus | Poblicia. |
| Marcellinus | Cornelia. |
| Marcellus | Claudia. |
| Maridianus | Cossutia. |
| Maximus | Egnatia. |
| " | Fabia. |
| Mensor | Farsuleia. |
| Messalia | Valeria. |
| Metullus | Cæcilia. |
| Molo | Pomponia. |
| Murcus | Statia. |
| Murena | Licinia. |
| Mus | Decia. |
| Musa | Pomponia. |
| Naso | Axia. |
| Natta | Pinaria. |
| Nerva | Cocceia. |
| " | Licinia. |
| " | Silia. |
| Nomentanus | Atilia. |
| Nonianus | Considia. |
| Otho | Salvia. |
| Pætus | Ælia. |
| " | Considia. |
| Palikanus | Lollia. |
| Pansa | Vibia. |
| Paullus | Æmilia. |
| Philippus | Marcia. |
| Philus | Furia. |
| Pictor | Fabia. |
| Piso | Calpurnia. |
| Pitio | Sempronia. |
| Pius | Cæcilia. |
| " | Pompeia. |
| Plancus | Munatia. |
| " | Plautia. |
| Platorinus | Sulpicia. |
| Pulcher | Claudia. |
| Purpureo | Fabia. |
| Quinctilianus | Nonia. |
| Reginus | Antistia. |
| Regulus | Livineia. |
| Restio | Antia. |
| Rocus | Creperia. |
| Rufus | Aurelia. |
| " | Cordia. |
| " | Lucilia. |
| " | Mescinia. |
| " | Minucia. |
| " | Plotia. |
| " | Pompeia. |
| " | Pomponia. |
| " | Sulpicia. |
| Rullus | Servilia. |
| Rus[ticus] | Aufidia. |
| Sabinus | Minatia. |
| " | Tituria. |
| " | Vettia. |
| Sabula | Cossutia. |
| Salinator | Oppia |
| Saranus | Atilia. |
| Saserna | Hostilia. |
| Saturninus | Appuleia. |
| Saxula | Clovia. |
| Scæva | Junia. |
| Scarpus | Pinaria. |
| Scaurus | Æmilia. |
| " | Aurelia. |
| Scipio | Cornelia. |
| Secundus | Arria. |
| Ser ... | Manlia. |
| Silanus | Junia. |
| Silianus | Licinia. |
| Silus | Sergia. |
| Sisenna | Cornelia. |
| Spinther | Cornelia. |
| Stolo | Licinia. |
| Strabo | Volteia. |
| Sufenas | Nonia. |
| Sulla | Cornelia. |
| Sulpicianus | Quinctia. |
| Surdinus | Nævia. |
| Talna | Juventia. |
| Tampilus | Bæbia. |
| Taurus | Statilia. |
| Thermus | Minucia. |
| Tod.. | ... |
| Torquatus | Manlia. |
| Trigeminus | Curiatia. |
| Trio | Lucretia. |
| Trogus | Maria. |
| Tubulus | Hostilia. |
| Tullus | Mæcilia. |
| Turdus | Papiria. |
| Turpilianus | Petronia. |
| Unimanus | Claudia. |
| Vaala | Numonia. |
| Varro | Terentia. |
| Varus | Vibia. |
| Vetus | Antistia. |
| Vitulus | Voconia. |
| Volusus | Valeria. |
§ OF THE MONEY OF THE EMPIRE.