369:
549:
36:
144:
319:
761:
883:
animam et corpus aestimari: hinc vestem arma tentoria, hinc saevitiam centurionum et vacationes munerum redimi. At hercule verbera et vulnera, duram hiemem, exercitas aestates, bellum atrox: aut sterilem pacem sempiterna) Nec aliud levamentum quam si certis sub legibus militia iniretur, ut
447:
Sestertii continued to be struck until the late 3rd century, although there was a marked deterioration in the quality of the metal used and the striking even though portraiture remained strong. Later emperors increasingly relied on melting down older sestertii, a process which led to the
520:
477:, but in the 2nd century, as inflation hit, the sestertius became the dominant small change. In the 3rd century silver coinage contained less and less silver, and more and more copper or bronze. By the 260s and 270s the main unit was the double-denarius, the
784:(54–68 AD) between the years 64 and 68 AD, created by some of the most accomplished coin engravers in history. The brutally realistic portraits of this emperor, and the elegant reverse designs, greatly impressed and influenced the artists of the
515:
Eventually, many sestertii were withdrawn by the state and by forgers, to melt down to make the debased
Antoninianus, which made inflation worse. In the coinage reforms of the 4th century, the sestertius played no part and passed into history.
807:
As a result of ceasing production and withdrawals from circulation in the 4th century, sestertii are less common as a whole compared to other Roman bronze coins. Fully struck examples with sharp detail often command high premiums at auction.
418:
The brass sestertius typically weighs in the region of 25 to 28 grams, is around 32–34 mm in diameter and about 4 mm thick. The distinction between bronze and brass was important to the Romans. Their name for brass was
472:
of the silver currency meant that the purchasing power of the sestertius and smaller denominations like the dupondius and as was steadily reduced. In the 1st century AD, everyday small change was dominated by the dupondius and
452:
component being gradually lost as it burned off in the high temperatures needed to melt copper (zinc melts at 419 °C but boils at 907 °C, copper melts at 1085 °C). The shortfall was made up with bronze and even
743:
slave girl called
Fortunata for 600 denarii, equal to 2,400 sestertii, to a man called Vegetus. It is difficult to make any comparisons with modern coinage or prices, but for most of the 1st century AD, the ordinary
307:, and the whole struck through; but because this symbol and striking through letters are not always convenient, HS may be used instead, with the horizontal bar of the 'H' representing the strike through the numeral
481:, but by then these small coins were almost all bronze. Although these coins were theoretically worth eight sestertii, the average sestertius was worth far more in plain terms of the metal it contained.
752:(81–96 AD), the equivalent of 3.3 sestertii per day. Half of it was deducted for living costs, leaving the soldier, if he was lucky enough to get paid, with about 1.65 sestertii per day.
866:
429:(echoing the word for a gold coin, aureus), meaning 'gold-copper', because of its shiny, gold-like appearance when the coins were newly struck (see, for example
792:(117–138 AD), recording his travels around the Roman Empire, depicts the Empire at its height, and included the first representation on a coin of the figure of
645:
The sestertius was also used as a standard unit of account and was represented on inscriptions with the monogram HS. Large values were recorded in terms of
780:, since their large size gave engravers a large area in which to produce detailed portraits and reverse types. The most celebrated are those produced for
1453:
969:
772:
in 64 AD. The reverse depicts the emperor on horseback with a companion. The legend reads DECVRSIO, meaning "a military exercise". Diameter 35 mm
1478:
713:
a day, out of which they had to pay, among other things, for their own uniforms. They demanded to be paid a denarius a day, and they got it.
888:
mererent, sextus decumus stipendii annus finem adferret, ne ultra sub vexillis tenerentur, sed isdem in castris praemium pecunia solveretur.
677:
395:
aureus. The sestertius was produced as the largest brass denomination until the late 3rd century AD. Most were struck in the mint of
907:
632:
119:
1473:
1531:
570:
57:
365:, still equal to one quarter of a denarius. It was produced sporadically, far less often than the denarius, through 44 BC.
613:
100:
852:
585:
72:
1468:
962:
566:
457:. Later sestertii tend to be darker in appearance as a result and are made from more crudely prepared blanks (see the
53:
361:(due to the gradual reduction in the size of bronze denominations), the sestertius was accordingly revalued to four
440:
Orichalcum was considered, by weight, to be about double the value of copper. This is why the half-sestertius, the
592:
559:
79:
46:
1458:
1014:
501:
391:, was worth one quarter of a sestertius. Augustus tariffed the value of the sestertius as one hundredth of the
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599:
86:
941:
955:
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1116:
797:
581:
68:
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1372:
937:
Sestertius issued by
Caligula in memory of his mother Agrippina the Elder (numismatics.org:1952.81.2)
692:
three sestertii, a bucket two sestertii, a tunic fifteen sestertii, a donkey five hundred sestertii.
1502:
1367:
1509:
1463:
488:(270–275 AD). During the end of its issue, when sestertii were reduced in size and quality, the
927:
An early (211/10 CE) Sestertius at the
American Numismatic Society (numismatics.org:1975.134.7)
496:(249–251 AD) and later in large quantity by the ruler of a breakaway regime in the West, named
1260:
903:
860:
489:
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his image and legends on. The double sestertius was distinguished from the sestertius by the
701:
368:
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1062:
662:
653:
often omitted and implied. The wealthy general and politician of the late Roman
Republic,
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430:
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as a small silver coin valued at one-quarter of a denarius (and thus one hundredth of an
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143:
1239:
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1004:
982:
777:
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212:
197:
879:
Tacitus, Annales 1.17.4 and 1.17.5: Enimvero militiam ipsam gravem, infructuosam:
444:, was around the same size and weight as the bronze was, but was worth two asses.
318:
1048:
1043:
926:
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346:). A silver denarius was supposed to weigh about 4.5 grams, valued at ten
35:
936:
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1409:
1084:
469:
421:
705:, book I, chapter 17.4 and 17.5, soldiers of the Rhine army who rose against
1401:
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793:
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669:
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465:
458:
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383:, the sestertius was reintroduced as a large brass denomination, while the
226:
means "two and one half", referring to its nominal value of two and a half
947:
748:
was paid nine hundred sestertii per annum, rising to twelve hundred under
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worn by the emperor, a device used to distinguish the dupondius from the
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485:
380:
241:
154:
240:), a value that was useful for commerce because it was one quarter of a
17:
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932:
An
Augustan Sestertius from an Asian Mint (numismatics.org:2006.21.9)
729:
388:
343:
233:
208:
354:(1.125 grammes). In practice, the coins were usually underweight.
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1100:
759:
740:
721:
681:
518:
367:
317:
216:
855:. 13 January 2007. Archived from the original on 13 January 2007.
724:
being sold at auction for 6,252 sestertii. A writing tablet from
781:
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673:
454:
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408:
400:
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392:
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267:
English-language sources routinely use the original Latin form
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676:
anywhere from less than half to more than one sestertius. One
542:
29:
157:
riding right, ROMA in linear frame below. RSC4, C44/7, BMC13
668:
A loaf of bread cost roughly half a sestertius, and a
350:, with the silver sestertius valued at two and a half
1446:
1386:
1334:
1216:
1013:
989:
853:"Roman Economy – Prices & Cost in Ancient Rome"
665:to have had "estates worth 200 million sesterces".
573:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
500:(259–268 AD), who often used worn old sestertii to
60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
796:; centuries later it was revived by English king
291:. A modern shorthand for values in sestertii is
865:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
256:, "third", in which "third" refers to the third
211:coin issued only on rare occasions. During the
379:In or about 23 BC, with the coinage reform of
963:
8:
357:When the denarius was retariffed to sixteen
776:Early brass sestertii are highly valued by
970:
956:
948:
484:Some of the last sestertii were struck by
633:Learn how and when to remove this message
295:(Unicode 𐆘), in which the Roman numeral
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
512:and the Antoninianus from the denarius.
829:
275:; but older literature frequently uses
858:
7:
571:adding citations to reliable sources
260:: the sestertius was worth two full
58:adding citations to reliable sources
649:, thousands of sestertii, with the
399:but from AD 64 during the reign of
189:
175:
151:Helmed Roma head right, IIS behind
800:, and continues to feature on the
657:, who fought in the war to defeat
322:Example of a detailed portrait of
25:
902:. London: Seaby. pp. 10–12.
841:. London: Longmans. p. 214.
547:
287:being the English equivalent of
142:
34:
837:Kennedy, Benjamin Hall (1930).
739:–125 AD, records the sale of a
558:needs additional citations for
162:AR 0.96 g – RSC4, C44/7, BMC13
45:needs additional citations for
335:The sestertius was introduced
1:
944:January 4, 2009, Roger Pearse
733:
336:
900:Roman Coins and their Values
415:), supplemented production.
248:. The name is derived from
1548:
1474:Antony's Legionary denarii
1497:
1459:Denarius of L. Censorinus
1454:Coinage of the Social War
942:How much is a sestertius?
688:cost seven sestertii, of
311:, rather than the letter
161:
141:
136:
839:The Revised Latin Primer
407:(AD 69–79), the mint of
137:Anonymous AR sestertius
898:Sear, David R. (1981).
788:. The series issued by
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535:
464:The gradual impact of
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1532:Coins of ancient Rome
1464:Ides of March coinage
1433:Constantinian bronzes
881:denis in diem assibus
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264:and half of a third.
236:Roman coin, singular
1489:Judaea Capta coinage
567:improve this article
492:was issued first by
461:coin on this page).
54:improve this article
1503:Ancient Rome Portal
244:, a coin worth ten
1510:Numismatics Portal
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680:(6.67 kg) of
536:
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27:Ancient Roman coin
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527:, dupondius of
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425:, also spelled
403:(AD 54–68) and
339:
333:
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215:it was a large
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623:November 2009
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1479:Roman Judaea
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732:), dated to
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582:"Sestertius"
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565:Please help
560:verification
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47:verification
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1387:Late Empire
1049:Quadrigatus
1044:Victoriatus
786:Renaissance
427:aurichalcum
1410:Miliarense
1283:; later 4)
1267:Sestertius
1242:(32 asses)
1039:Sestertius
824:References
798:Charles II
593:newspapers
502:overstrike
470:debasement
468:caused by
422:orichalcum
326:117 to 138
269:sestertius
224:sestertius
171:sestertius
80:newspapers
1402:Tremissis
1355:Argenteus
1287:Dupondius
1252:Quinarius
1059:(2 asses)
1057:Dupondius
804:coinage.
794:Britannia
746:legionary
737: 75
726:Londinium
684:in 79 AD
670:sextarius
659:Spartacus
466:inflation
459:Hostilian
442:dupondius
405:Vespasian
373:Hostilian
281:sesterces
279:, plural
273:sestertii
271:, plural
222:The name
196:) was an
194:sesterces
181:sestertii
1526:Category
1378:Denarius
1373:Laureate
1315:Quadrans
1246:Denarius
1197:Semuncia
1149:Quadrans
1117:Quincunx
1034:Denarius
1000:Aes rude
861:cite web
812:See also
750:Domitian
707:Tiberius
498:Postumus
486:Aurelian
413:Lugdunum
381:Augustus
277:sesterce
242:denarius
186:sesterce
155:Dioscuri
18:Sesterce
1415:Siliqua
1397:Solidus
1368:Radiate
1347:Solidus
1322:⁄
1306:⁄
1278:⁄
1232:Dacicus
1204:⁄
1188:⁄
1172:⁄
1165:Sextans
1156:⁄
1140:⁄
1124:⁄
1108:⁄
1092:⁄
1076:⁄
1069:Dodrans
979:Coinage
790:Hadrian
728:(Roman
720:show a
718:Pompeii
697:Tacitus
686:Pompeii
655:Crassus
607:scholar
525:Hadrian
433:in his
375:AD 251
331:History
324:Hadrian
289:tertius
254:tertius
94:scholar
1428:Nummus
1423:Follis
1406:Silver
1364:Copper
1360:Nummus
1351:Silver
1257:Copper
1236:Silver
1227:Aureus
1133:Triens
1030:Silver
1026:Aureus
996:Bronze
906:
741:Gallic
730:London
702:Annals
678:modius
609:
602:
595:
588:
580:
389:copper
344:aureus
234:bronze
219:coin.
209:silver
96:
89:
82:
75:
67:
1299:Semis
1181:Uncia
1101:Semis
722:slave
711:asses
682:wheat
651:milia
614:JSTOR
600:books
363:asses
359:asses
352:asses
348:asses
305:semis
285:terce
262:asses
250:semis
246:asses
229:asses
217:brass
184:) or
101:JSTOR
87:books
1393:Gold
1343:Gold
1248:(16)
1223:Gold
1022:Gold
904:ISBN
867:link
782:Nero
770:Rome
766:Nero
674:wine
586:news
455:lead
450:zinc
409:Lyon
401:Nero
397:Rome
393:gold
303:for
201:coin
168:The
73:news
1295:(1)
1289:(2)
1263:(8)
1254:(8)
1085:Bes
1065:(1)
981:of
690:rye
569:by
293:IIS
232:(a
190:pl.
176:pl.
56:by
1528::
1293:As
1206:24
1190:12
1126:12
1063:As
863:}}
859:{{
734:c.
699:'
510:as
475:as
385:as
337:c.
315:.
309:II
297:II
283:,
258:as
238:as
192::
178::
1327:)
1324:4
1320:1
1317:(
1311:)
1308:2
1304:1
1301:(
1280:2
1276:1
1273:+
1271:2
1269:(
1209:)
1202:1
1199:(
1193:)
1186:1
1183:(
1177:)
1174:6
1170:1
1167:(
1161:)
1158:4
1154:1
1151:(
1145:)
1142:3
1138:1
1135:(
1129:)
1122:5
1119:(
1113:)
1110:2
1106:1
1103:(
1097:)
1094:3
1090:2
1087:(
1081:)
1078:4
1074:3
1071:(
971:e
964:t
957:v
912:.
869:)
636:)
630:(
625:)
621:(
611:·
604:·
597:·
590:·
563:.
411:(
313:H
301:S
188:(
174:(
123:)
117:(
112:)
108:(
98:·
91:·
84:·
77:·
50:.
20:)
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