EPISODE · Apr 2, 2025 · 15 MIN
Did Ancient Romans Trust Their Own Money? - The Pax Romana Podcast
from The Pax Romana Podcast · host Professor Colin Elliott
Did Romans trust their money? Roman officials required legal exchange rates, but not everyone obeyed them--especially when mints adulterated or debased precious metal coinage. Only scant evidence of rebellion survives, but there are hints that show Romans inventing new conventions--some quite elegant. How overt was monetary defiance? Marcus Cornelius Fronto, famed rhetorician and tutor to Emperor Marcus Aurelius, once told the emperor in a letter: “Cleave to the old coinage”. Romans trusted coins when they were reliable, but were skeptical of newly debased coin .
What this episode covers
Did Romans trust their money? Roman officials required legal exchange rates, but not everyone obeyed them--especially when mints adulterated or debased precious metal coinage. Only scant evidence of rebellion survives, but there are hints that show Romans inventing new conventions--some quite elegant. How overt was monetary defiance? Marcus Cornelius Fronto, famed rhetorician and tutor to Emperor Marcus Aurelius, once told the emperor in a letter: “Cleave to the old coinage”. Romans trusted coins when they were reliable, but were skeptical of newly debased coin .
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Did Ancient Romans Trust Their Own Money? - The Pax Romana Podcast
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