The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal ... - IndianCoins.org

266 E. A. SYDENHAM.seems clear, however, that two standards of weightwere in use, which may be estimated at normally210-5 and 252-6 grains, or respectively % and g'ofa Roman pound. Of these the lighter probably representsthe earlier standard which appears to have beenfixed by Augustus about the year 15 B.C. It was not,however, superseded by the heavier, which apparentlycame into existence about A.D. 22, but continued to beissued along with it. For example, we find dupondiiof Antonia (temp. Claudii) of both weights. It maybe mentioned incidentally that the heavier dupondiusdisappears after the reign of Nero.If we are right in supposing that the heavy dupondiuswas introduced about A.D. 22, which was in manyof the Romanrespects a notable year in the historycoinage, we may conclude that there were two separateissues of these memorial dupondii of the Victory type ;that is to say, the lighter coins of transitional stylewould have been issued shortly before A.D. 22, and theheavier coins of fine style shortly afterwards.The reverse type, as we have already stated, presentsno analogy to any other that occurs on the coins ofTiberius. It corresponds more or less closely withNero's well-known asses of the Victory type, but thegeneral style of the coins and the form of the letteringon the obverse are certainly not of Nero's period.A representation of Victory, seated, forms thestandard reverse type on the series of gold quinariistruck continuously throughout the reign of Tiberius,apparently without reference to any specific militarytriumphs. It is just possible, therefore, that thereference of these dupondii may be of a purely generalcharacter.