The significance of Ancient Rome in history is unparalleled. Many aspects of present day society, including laws and religion have been influenced by Ancient Rome. Well, there was much more to this mighty empire. One such was its system of coins, which influenced the whole of Europe.
The currencies of Rome consisted of gold, silver, bronze, copper as well as orichalcum coinage. Often, the portraits of the emperors and gods were also seen on the coins.
Thus, coins were also part of the Roman culture. They were introduced to other parts of the continent by means of trade. These currencies were known to have been used as jewellery by non-Romans. But in the centuries that followed, Rome was invaded by other empires, and this affected their coinage too.
A collapsing empire by then, Rome’s economy fell, and the supply of silver especially, began to decrease. By AD 476, Roman currency was replaced by Byzantine coinage, as the currency of the Mediterranean.
