The last years have seen a number of key advances in the study of the earliest Roman coins, and in Long Table 146Seth Bernard, a professor at the University of Toronto, presents this recent scholarship and provides an up-to-date picture of pre-denarius coinage (ca. 300–211 BCE).
Several newly published hoards and archaeological finds help to refine the coinage’s chronological evolution: from the period of the Samnite Wars to Rome’s first overseas expeditions against Carthage. Professor Bernard focuses on several important turning points in Rome’s coin production, from their earliest didrachms and heavy cast bronze issues to the creation of an integrated, multi-metallic coinage system. The early coins of Rome not only reveals its own intrinsic qualities, but serves as a critical index for understanding the complex nature of “Middle Republican” society during Rome’s initial phases of imperial expansion.
Every Friday at 1:00 pm ET, the Long Table series brings together American Numismatic Society (ANS) members from around the country. Lead by ANS staff, outside numismatic curators, authors, enthusiasts, historians, and many more, each talk offers the opportunity to take an hour away from your busy day to discuss all things numismatic, exchange views and ideas, and speak directly with fellow members and with the ANS.
Watch Previous Long Tables on the ANS YouTube Channel Here
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