The Denarius: A Silver Coin of Ancient Rome

Denarius (plural: denarii) was a silver coin used in ancient Rome. It was first introduced by the Roman Republic in 211 BC and remained in circulation until the late Roman Empire period, around AD 300. The denarius was equivalent to ten asses, another Roman coin, and was used as a standard unit of account for financial transactions.

The value of the denarius varied over time due to inflation and changes in the silver content of the coin. At its introduction, the denarius was worth about 1/40th of a gold aureus, but by the late Republic period, it had depreciated to about 1/80th of an aureus. During the Roman Empire, the denarius was devalued further, and it became equivalent to only about 1/200th of an aureus.

The obverse (front) side of the denarius typically featured the portrait of the reigning emperor, while the reverse (back) side often depicted various gods, goddesses, or other symbols of Roman power and authority. The denarius was widely used throughout the Roman Empire for purchasing goods and services, paying taxes, and conducting other financial transactions.