Question on Roman coins
Striker
Posts: 191
I've been thinking about starting into Roman coins for the past little while and have a quick question. As I currently know little about them what are the differences between Imperial, Provincial and Republic coins. Is it the date, area they were minted or combo of both?
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<< <i>As I currently know little about them what are the differences between Imperial, Provincial and Republic coins. Is it the date, area they were minted or combo of both? >>
Both. First came the Roman Republic, starting around 500 BC, which lasted up until 44 BC when Caesar became a dictator (and was assassinated). Some say the Republic ended in 27 BC when the Senate gave Octavian the title "Augustus". At any rate, from Augustus onwards, Rome was ruled by emperors rather than the senate. This was the "Imperial" period.
In terms of collecting coins, here's the low-down:
Roman Republic: circa 500 BC to Julius Caesar (d. 44 BC).
Roman Empire: from Augustus to the collapse of the Western empire in 476 AD (after this, you've got "Byzantine" coins).
Provincial: refers to coins struck in the Roman provinces and colonies (more of a "where" than a "when").