Aes grave explained

Aes grave ("heavy bronze") is a term in numismatics indicating bronze cast coins used in central Italy during the 3rd century BC, whose value was generally indicated by signs: I for the as, S for semis and pellets for unciae. Standard weights for the as were 272, 327, or 341 grams, depending upon the issuing authority.^[1]

The main Roman cast coins had these marks and images:

Image	value	mark
Ianus	As	I
	Semis	S
	Triens	four pellets
Hercules	Quadrans	three pellets
Mercury	Sextans	two pellets
	Uncia	one pellet

Issuing cities

Main series were from Rome, Ariminum (Rimini), Iguvium (Gubbio), Tuder (Todi), Ausculum (Ascoli Satriano), Firmum (Fermo), Hatria - Hadria (Atri), Luceria (Lucera), and Latin central Italy. Other series have unknown provenance.

See also

• Roman Republican coinage
• Aes rude
• Aes signatum

Further reading

• Haeberlin, Ernst: Aes Grave, Das Schwergeld Roms und Mittelitaliens einschließlich der ihm vorausgehenden Rohbronzewährung, Halle 1910.
• Head, Barclay V.: Historia Nummorum, a Manual of Greek Numismatic, London, 1911².
• Sear, David: "Roman Coins and Their Values," Volume I, Spink.
• Sydenham, Edward A.: Aes Grave A Study of the Cast Coinages of Rome and Central Italy. London, Spink, 1926.
• Italo Vecchi. Italian Cast Coinage. A descriptive catalogue of the cast coinage of Rome and Italy. London Ancient Coins, London 2013. Hard bound in quarto format, 84 pages, 90 plates.

External links

• Digital Historia Nummorum
• Cast Greek & Roman Coins
• The Aes Grave of Central Italy by J. G. Milne

Notes and References

1. Book: Michael H. Crawford. Roman Republican Coinage. 1974. Cambridge University Press. 978-0-521-07492-6. 1–.