Mint of Ancient Rome

• The Mint of Rome was founded in 260 BCE and closed in 476 CE. This was where Roman Coins were produced and distributed.
• It was located next to the Temple of Juno Moneta, on top of the Capitoline Hill.

History

• After the Assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE the Mint was closed and moved to Lyon in Gaul. It was not reopened until 38 CE.
• There were up to 600 Mints established at varying periods around the Roman Empire.

Nummularii

• The Nummularii were the Officers of the Mint who operated a bank which placed new coins into circulation and removed the old coins.
• They also eventually undertook the same financial transactions as the Argentarii, taking deposits, making loans and attending auctions.

Mint Marks

• For example a coin might show the following:
  • ‘SM.R.C.’

• There were 3 groups of markings on a Roman Coin:
  1. A Letter:
     • ‘P’ (Pecunia meaning Money), ‘M’ (Moneta meaning the Die on which the coin is struck), ‘SM’ (Sacra Moneta meaning Imperial Money)).
  2. One of up to Four Letters indicating the Mint.
     • Eg; Rome was ‘R’ and also ‘ROMA’.
  3. A single letter indicating which ‘Officina’ (workshop) in the Mint.
     • ‘A’ meant 1st Officina, ‘B’ meant 2nd Officina, ‘C’ meant 3rd Officina, and so on.

Other Mints in Italy

• Milan: (MED) 364-475 CE.
• Ravenna: c. 400-475 CE.
• Aquileia: (AQUI) 294-475 CE.

Some of the Provincial Mints

• Britannia:
  • London: (L, LON, etc) 287-325 CD, 383-388 CE.
  • Clausentum: (C, CL.) 293-6 CE
  • Colchester: (C, CL.) 287-296 CE

• Gaul:
  • Lyon: (LG, LVGD) 44 BCE – 423 CE.
  • Amiens: (AMBI) 350-353 CE.
  • Arles: (A, ARL, etc) 313-475 CE.

• Germany:
  • Mainz: 268 CE.
  • Trier: (TRE) 291-430 CE.

• Greece:
  • Constantinople: (CONS) From 326 CE until the end of the Byzantine Empire.

• Egypt:
  • Alexandria: (AL, ALEX, etc) c. 294 until Leo I.

• Syria:
  • Antioch: (ANT) closed under Leo I.