Libral standard
The libral standard compares the weight of
The libral standard began with the era of the so-called aes grave (heavy bronze) cast coinage of Rome, from circa 280 BC, where one as weighed one Roman pound (libra), or twelve Roman ounces (unciae). This changed when the weight of the aes grave was decreased to approximately 10 unciae (the "light libral standard") circa 265-217 BC, remaining at that level until about 217 BC. It then suddenly fell to 6 unciae (the "semi-libral standard") around the start of the second Punic war in about 217 BC, before finally falling still further until about 141 BC.[1]
The libral/semi-libral standards were followed by the triental standards and the sextantal standard.
Many Greek city states (colonies) were founded on the Italian peninsula and Sicily during this time period; these are collectively referred to as
Notes
- ^ Crawford 1974:131-236
References
- Crawford, Michael H. (1974). Roman Republican Coinage, Cambridge University Press, 2 Volumes. ISBN 0-521-07492-4