Roman Coinage Timeline

The first Roman coins are minted at Neapolis.

A new system of Roman coinage is introduced which includes the silver denarius.

Rome now dominates the production of coinage in Italy.

There is a boom in the production of Roman silver coinage, in part thanks to the acquisition of silver mines in Macedonia.

The Roman bronze as coin is devalued so that now 16 as equal one silver denarius.

The Roman magistrates responsible for coinage begin to stamp coins with images of landmarks, events and personalities.

Sulla mints new silver and gold coins to pay his army.

Julius Caesar mints the largest quantity of gold coins ever seen in Rome.

The brass orichalcum sestertius is first minted in Rome.

The Roman mint at Lugdunum is established.

Nero reduces the weight and percentage of precious metal in Roman coins, a trend continued by several subsequent Roman emperors.

Diocletian reforms the Roman coinage system, guaranteeing the gold aurei at 60 to a pound and minting the nummus coin.

Diocletian reasseses the values of Roman coins and limits minting rights to between 12 and 15 mints across the empire.