THE COIN COLLECTOR - World eBook Library

HOME
heads of Cleopatra and himself, particularly the silver
tetradrachm from the mint at Alexandria about 33 B.C.,
where the Egyptian princess is figured as the New Isis.
With the democratic form of government the old
monetary system gave way to a new and more elaborate
one in the three metals ; and the Roman imperial
coinage affords the first example of one where gold,
silver, and copper or bronze appear to have been during
the best period struck, proportionately speaking, in
equal abundance, unless we have to except Egypt under
the Ptolemies. There is as complete a revolution in
the numismatic as in the political state of affairs. The
ancient system was superseded by a new principle,
under which the unit was the cvs yet further reduced in
weight, the dupondius, and the sestertius, or, as we
usually say, first, second, and third brass, with the
denarius in silver = 10 sestertii, and the aureus or solid its-
= in weight to 2 and in value to 20 denarii; yet a
good deal of caution and patience was displayed by
Augustus before he rendered his personality and auto-
cracy too prominent on the currency ; and one point is
conspicuous, namely, that although the coinage forms
three divisions, that of the lowest metal in the first
size, which had been identified with the primitive epoch,
was under the empire the only one of which the issue
was subject to the authority of the Senate, and that on
which, partly owing to its diametrical capacity, we
meet with the most interesting recollections most care-
fully treated, and the finest portraits of the Caesars and
their august kindred and consorts. Moreover, certain
115