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As

Moneta Historical Research by Tom Schroer

An "as" (English plural: asses) was originally the Roman unit of weight, being equal to 327.45 grams (5050 grains), or 0.721 pound avoirdupois.  The term "libra", which originally meant a simple balance scale (and from whence we derive the abbreviation for pound "lb."), soon became interchangable with the term "as", and later came to dominate.  An "as" was comprised of 12 unciae (ounces) of about 27.29 grams each.  It's interesting to note that although the Roman pound was only 0.721 of the avoirdupois pound, since it was comprised of only 12 ounces the weight of the Roman ounce ("uncia") differs from the avoirdupois ounce by less than 4%.

The first Roman bronze coinage in the early third century BC was produced at full weights, from the "as" down to the semuncia (half-ounce).  The symbol of the early "as" denomination was an "I".  As time progressed the weights declined but the names of the denominations did not change, so that by about 90 BC the "lex Papiria" established the "semuncial" standard where the "as" was struck at about half of a Roman ounce (or about 13.6 grams).  The uncia was discontinued very shortly thereafter as simply being too small to be practical.

The "as" continued to be struck at about 13 grams into Imperial times, when Augustus gradually lowered the weight to about 11 grams.  Diameters in the first two centuries AD generally ranged from 26 to 30 millimeters.  The uniform obverse of all Imperial asses was the laureate bust.  Larger bronze coinage than the "as" (such as the dupondius, tripondius, and even a decussis) was very rarely struck in Republican times, so in general the "as" was the largest copper denomination to commonly circulate.  However, with the decline in size of the "as" to only 11 grams, larger bronze denominations became practical, and soon the dupondius (equal to 2 asses) and sestertius (equal to 4 asses) appeared.

By the time of Christ, Greek-speakers called the "as" an "assarion" (a diminutive meaning "a little as" - probably a reference to its only being 1/24 of the weight its name would imply).  It is one of the Roman coins mentioned in the Bible.  Jesus says in Matthew 10:29, "Are not two sparrows sold for an assarion?  and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father."  In a parallel passage in Luke 12:6 Jesus says, "Are not five sparrows sold for two assaria, and not one of them is forgotten before God?" (The original Greek text uses "assarion" and "assaria" respectively, although modern English translations usually variously render the term to give the average modern reader an idea of what is meant).

The above Biblical passages also give some idea of the purchasing power of the early Imperial "as", which in theory was equal to 1/16 of a denarius (q.v.), the denarius being about an average day's wage.

The "as" was remarkably stable in weight in Imperial times, remaining at about 10.8 - 11.0 grams until the reign of Trajan Decius (q.v.) in the mid-third century when it declined to about 10.2 grams.  Nero (q.v.) experimented with the "as" between 63 and 65, striking it in orichalcum at the reduced weight of about 9 grams, and sometimes omitting the usual "S C" ("Senatus Consulto" - roughly "by consent of the Senate").  Additionally he sometimes caused the old mark of value ("I") to be put upon them, and the mark "II" upon their doubles, the dupondiiNero reverted to the normal copper composition by the end of his reign, and the experiment in metals was not tried again until the reigns of Trajan (98-117) and Hadrian (117-138), who both struck a small number of asses in orichalcum.  The "as" returned to solely copper in the reign of Hadrian's successor, Antoninus Pius, and remained copper thenceforth.

The chaos of the bronze coinage of the mid-third century, marked by a decline in size of the sestertius, coupled with widely varying weights due to its nature as a token coin, can sometimes lead to confusion with asses of Gordian III and Philip on patinated specimens which hide the underlying metal.  The weights can actually sometimes overlap, so the differentiating criterion is the die size (diameter of the dot circle).  Sestertii of Gordian will normally have a die size of about 28 millimeters, while his asses will be about 24 millimeters.  Philip's sestertii will be slightly smaller on average, at about 26 millimeters, and his asses will be circa 21 millimeters.

The "as" was never struck in large numbers after the mid-third century when the debasement of the "antoninianus" (or "aurelianus") reached the point where it became an essentially bronze coin of only a few grams, although tariffed at 32 asses.  Although extremely rare in the second half of the third century, the "as" was not officially discontinued until about the time of Diocletian's coinage reform in 294.  Diocletian's final asses were struck at between 6 and 7 grams (23 to 26 mms in diameter).


Dictionary of Roman Coins




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AS, ASSIS, and ASSARIUS.—These were the words used by the Romans, in connection with the subject of money, to denominate an integer, or entire quantity of weight (congeries ponderis, as Eckhel expresses it), divided into twelve parts called unciae. And as they commenced their coinage with brass, so the as was their most ancient money. The synonymes of as or assis were libra, libella, and pondo; the weight of the as money being the same as that of the pound of twelve ounces; and numerous coins are extant not only of the entire as, but also of the parts into which, for monetary purposes, it was divided.
Declining to touch upon numerous details of discussion, contained in the copious pages of controversial antiquaries; and simply referring, for further particulars, to what will be found given in this dictionary, under the head of Brass Coinage, it shall here suffice to assume as certain, that money consisting of brass only began to be fabricated at Rome, if not actually under Servius Tullius, at least soon after that king 's death. The principal piece was the as, which constituted the primitive unity of the Roman mint. The earliest known specimens of it are of bulky dimensions; but they were nevertheless unquestionably money. That portion of them, however, which, from their form, size, and weight, come under our acceptation of the word coin, must evidently have been introduced at a much later period.—The brass coinage of Rome first established between the years 550 and 555 before the Christian era (or to take the computed duration of the reign of Servius Tullius, between 578 and 534 years B.C.), consisted, as above stated, of the as, the primary unit, weighing 12 unciae (or ounces), and worth 12 unciae in money. Its multiples and its parts were as follow:—
MULTIPLES.
Dupondius (two as).
Tripondius (three as).
Quadrussis (four as).
Decussis (ten as).
PARTS.
Semis (half of the as, or six unciae).
Quincunx (five unciae).
Triens (third of the as, or four unciae).
Quadrans (fourth of the as, or three unciae).
Sextans (sixth of the as or two unciae)
Uncia (twelfth of the as, or one ounce).
The quincussis (five as, or a quinarius); the Deunx (eleven unciae); Dextans (nine unciae); Bes (eight unciae); Septunx (seven unciae); were monetary fractions, (as M. Hennin observes), which were occasionally used in calculation, but which had no existence as real money.
Some of the above-named brass coins, of early Roman fabric, bear marks, and inscriptions, as well as types, from which a system has been formed for fixing their legal values and their denominations. The following is a descriptive list of them, compiled from Eckhel, Mionnet, Akerman, and Hennin:—
MARKS AND TYPES ON THE ROMAN AS, ITS MULTIPLES AND PARTS.
1. The Decussis, marked X. has for the type of its obverse, the head of Minerva; on the reverse is the prow of a vessel.
2. The Quadrussis exhibits various types, the most common of which is a bull walking. [The pieces have the form of a long square. The specimens in the British Museum 6 3/8 inches by 3 1/2 inches. The heaviest weighs 3 lbs. 12 oz.—See Akermau 's Descr. Cat., vol. 1.]
3. The Tripondius, marked III. bears on one side the head of Minerva; on the reverse a ship 's prow.
4. The Dupondius is marked II. [Some of these pieces are of Italian origin, and bear the world FELATHRI, in retrograde Etruscan character.] The type of the obverse is Minerva 's head, and of the reverse a ship 's prow.
5. The As (primitive monetary unit).







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Obv.Head of Janus.
Rev.—Prow of a vessel.
The mark of this money is the sign . But it is not always found on it.—Such pieces mostly exhibit the word ROMA on the reverse side, and many of them bear the names of Roman families.
6. The Semis, exhibits several types; the larger sized ones have a hog, a vase, a Pegasus, a bull, or a wheel, on the obverse side.—The smaller sized and later Semis bears the head of Jupiter laureated. But its distinctive mark is the letter S, or six globules, thus ●●●●●● See the word in S.
7. The Quincunx, has generally a cross on each side, the distinctive mark five globules ●●●●● and the letter V.—See the word in Q.
8. The Triens, bears the head of Minerva, and has four globules ●●●● See the word in T.
9. The Quadrans, presents on its obverse the head of Hercules, and three globules ●●● [Some of these pieces have for their obverse types, a dog, a bull and serpent, with the word ROMA, a man 's hand, and a strigil.] See the word in Q.
10 The Sextans has the head of Mercury and its mark in two globules ●● See the word in S.
11. The Uncia, has the mark of a single globule ● [Its type is a pentagon, in the centre of which the globule is placed, or a strigil, or a spear head.] See U.
The reverse type of all the above, except the Quincunx and the Uncia, is the prow of a ship.
But it appears that the as, or libra, among the Romans, was the principle, or basis, of calculation; not only in the matter of weight and of money, but also in measuring liquids, distances, and even in designating the claims of hereditary succesion, with regard to those laws which regulated testamentary dispositions. (See Eckhel, De Asse et ejus partibus, v. p. 4, et seq. for examples of each.)
    Assis diminutio.--It is under this head that the author of Doctrina numorum veterum has furnished a series of observations and arguments, at once interesting in themselves, and peculiarly valuable to the numismatic student, as the means of arriving at something like a right understanding, on the chief practical points of the difficult subject in question. Allusion is here had to the second chapter of Eckhel 's treatise on Consular coins (vol v. p. 6, ii.) wherein he has given the whole of that passage from Pliny, which forms that foundation of whatever is known respecting the diminution of the as, and its parts; a passage to which reference is always made by such of the learned as apply their attention to this branch of the Roman mint. It is hoped, therefore, that the subjoined attempt to present it in an English dress, will prove not unacceptable to those for whose use and information the present work is principally designed.
     It is to be borne in mind, that, at the very earliest period, the Romans used unwrought brass [for money]; and that it was in the reign of Servius Tullius that brass was first stamped. So that the coined as [as moneta] would be of the same weight as the as libralis. But this law did not continue. We are made acquainted with the fact of its violation, in the following words of Pliny.--(Natural History, L.XXXiii 13.)
    "The Roman people did use even silver stamped, before the period when King Pyrrhus was vanquished. the as weighed a libra, whence the present term libella, and dupondius (two librae). Thence also the penalty (or fine) called aes grave (heavy brass). . . . Servius Rex primus signavit aes. King Servius first stamped brass. Before him, as Timaeus relates, the Romans used it in the rough state (rude). It was stamped with the figures of cattle (nota pecudum) from which circumstance it was called pecunia. Silver was coined in the year of the city 485 (B.C. 269), during the consulship of Q. FAbius, and five years before the first Punic war. And a denarius passed for ten pounds of brass (decem libris aeris); a quinarius for five; a sestertius, for two pounds and a half (pro dupondio et semisse). This pound weight of brass (libra pondus aeris) was, however, diminished during the first Punic war, when the resources of the Commonwealth were inadequate to meet its expenditure; and it was decreed that asses should be struck, of the weight of two ounces (sextantario pondere). So five parts of it (factae lucri) were thus gained, and the public debt was cancelled. the distinctive type (nota) on brass coins was on one side a double-headed Janus, on the other the beak of a ship; on the triens and quadrans, entire vessels. The Quadrans was originally called Teruncius from tres unciae.--Subsequently, when the state was pressed upon by the war with Hannibal, and during the dictatorship of Q. Fabius Maximus, asses of an ounce weight (unciales) were minted: and a denarius was made exchangeable for sixteen asses, a quinarius for eight, a sesertius for four. Thus a profit of one half was realized by the republic. In military pay, however, a denarius was always given for ten asses.--The types of the silver were bigae and quadrigae (chariots drawn by two and four horses respectively) and were therefore called bigati and quadrigati. Soon afterwards by the Papirian law, half-ounce asses were struck. (Mox, lege Papiriana Semunciales asses facti.)
    From these words of Pliny, with whom may be conjoined Vitruvius, Maecianus, and Pompeius Festus, it is clearly to be gathered, that the standard of the Roman brass money underwent many changes, even down to the age of the Emperors. And, of the data thus afforded by the celebrated old writer above quoted, Eckhel goes on to present the following analysis:

I. The As Libralis, was 12 unciae (or ounces) in weight. This lasted from Servius Tullius, about the A.U.C. 107 (555 B.C.), as far as the time of the first Punic war, which commenced in the year of Rome 490 (B.C. 264).--The Denarius, a silver coin, began to be struck five years before this war, and was valued at 10 asses librales, whence its name.

II. The As Sextantarius was of the weight of two ounces. This standard began whilst the first Punic war was at its height, and continued till the dictatorship of Q. Fabius Maximus, upon which he entered A.U.C. 537 (B.C. 217, 2nd year 2nd Punic war.)

III. The As Uncialis, weighed one ounce; from the dictatorship of Q. Fabius until the introduction of the Lex Papiria; respecting which law, it is not precisely ascertained at what time or by which Papirius it was carried. The word mox, used by Pliny, shews that this form of the as did not last long. From that time the value of the denarius was authoritatively fixed at 16 asses.

IV. The As Semiuncialis, or of the half-ounce (uncia). This commenced with the Lex Papiria.

    Such are the sum and substance of the indications given by Pliny. But there are not a few circumstances which appear to be at variance with them. And these Eckhel proceeds to point out in the following manner:
    "Firstly, they are contradicted by experience itself. For in many museums there are numerous specimens of the as, and those undoubtedly Roman, which weight 11, 10, and 8 ounces, &c. Also semisses of 5, 4, &c.--And in the same ratio the triens, quadrans, sextans, and uncialis. Hence it is evident that the as could by no means have been (as Pliny appears to assert) reduced suddenly without any intermediate diminution, to the weight of 2 unciae.
    "Secondly, as the commonwealth, on the reduction of the as to 2 unciae, gained a profit of 5-6ths for the liquidation of the public debt; so, to private individuals, the loss was proportionate. Then came the half of this; when the sextantarius was diminished to one uncia. And lastly, the half of this again, on the introduction of the semiuncial as. Therefore he, who, in the year U.C. 490, had 60,000 asses, put out to interest, found himself suddenly reduced to 10,000; in forty-seven years afterwards to 5,000; and not long after that, by Papirian law, to 2,500. Now if this money decreased in weight, the rich, by the concomitant rise in the price of articles, must have been reduced to poverty, and the poor to utter destitution, could any other result have happened than the entire ruin of the state?
    "Thirdly, since the denarius was worth 10 asses librales, and there were 34 denarii in the libra, (on Pliny 's testimony concurred in by that of Celsus and Scribonius Largus,) it necessarily follow, that silver was to brass at that period, as 1 to 840, in value. Now, how much soever we may be inclined to regard the ancient Romans as poor, and deficient in the more precious metals, can such an extreme disproportion between silver and brass be considered probable? But though to the great majority this opinion must appear repugnant to all truth, yet to many it was matter of belief that the denarius struck at that time when the as libralis was still in use, was of greater weight. [After combatting with conclusive effect the visionary conjectures of Savot and others of the elder school of numismatists on this point, Eckhel next observes:]
    "Fourthly, the most astonishing fact is this. The denarius, which at first was equivalent to 10 asses librales, or 120 unciae, within a comparatively few years, was worth 16 semi-uncial asses, or 8 unciae. I do not (adds our author) impugn this last proportion, which indeed does not exceed the bounds of moderation--namely that, for a denarius, which was one-seventh of an uncia, were exchanged 8 unciae of brass money. But who can easily digest the notion, that in so short a space of time, silver, from being the most costly metal, was reduced to such cheapness?"

    So far the Author of "Doctrina," on Pliny 's account of the early history of the Roman coinage, and of the diminution of the as.--Dr. Cardwell in one of his lectures, treating of the same subject, offers remarks, of which the tenor perfectly coincides with the above cited views and reasonings of the great Numismatist of Vienna, as to the doubtful correctness of Pliny 's account. "But," adds the Learned Principal of St. Alban 's Hall, "the strongest objection against the statement of Pliny still remains. If his account were correct, no as could ever have been minted of a weight between the libralis of the earliest period, and the Sextantarius of the Punic war; nor, in like manner, any Semissis between the full weight of six ounces, and the reduction to one single ounce; whereas the fact is, that we meet with both these coins, in all the several stages of degradation, proving incontestably that the change was gradual. That such changes were actually made, and that the common currency of Rome underwent repeated, and at last extreme variations in its standard, is a fact that might certainly be anticipated from the unscientific character of the times, from the demands of a constant state of warfare, and even from the universal prevalence of debt; but this fact is fully established, as to the mode and extent of its operation, not by what we gather from history, but by what is clearly laid before us in a series of coins."--vi. p. 140.

    [As to the voluminous opinions which have been founded on the statements of the old writers, by a host of modern ones, as well respecting the real weight of ancient Roman libra (or pound) as with regard to the reductions successively made in the weight of the as--neither are they clear enough in themselves, nor are they sufficiently accordant with each other, nor (what is most important) are they, with the requisite degree of correspondence, borne out by the coins themselves to which they refer, to furnish a clue by which any positive decision can be arrived at, on those respective points of discussion; whilst they equally fall short of establishing any well-digested scale, by which to measure those sudden and extraordinary diminutions in the size and weight of the Roman brass coinage, that Pliny and the others affirm to have taken place. If indeed a Froelich declared himself incompetent to the task of disentangling this question from its great ambiguities and difficulties--if even an Eckhel, with all his vigour of industrious research, but in the same spirit of modesty inseparable from true genius, has ventured to do little more, in this instance, that to adduce the varying opinions of others, and then "leave the reader to select that which appears to him most reasonable." And though last not least entitled to consideration, if, after the acquirements and exertions of such eminent antiquaries as Cardinal Zelada, and other Italian investigators of Uncial coins--men who had such superior advantages for evolving the truth, from the genuine pieces before them--if (we say) after all these advantages and efforts, so comparatively trifling an advance has been made in practical knowledge, on a question which has been most assiduously and obstinately disputed--we may well be excused for dwelling no longer upon it, that whilst summing-up the amount of the information furnished to us from the sources above-mentioned. And this cannot perhaps be better done than by here concentrating the remarks of M. Hennin, on this subject:--

    "The notices given by Pliny on the diminution of the as, and of weights, are neither free from the features of improbablility, nor are they confirmed by the data furnished, on a comparison of the weights with the coins themselves. It is difficult indeed to believe that, in so short a space of time, the as should have been reduced from twelve to two ounces. The differences, which must have resulted from such large reductions, would have caused too great a destruction of property, to have admitted of such enormous changes.--On the other hand, there exist as, or parts of the as, whose size and weight indicate a still lower reduction than that to the as semi-uncialis: that is to say, a reduction from the half-ounce to the quarter-ounce as; whence it follows that the as was successively diminished to the forty-eighth part of its original weight. And whatever may have been these successive reductions, the fact remains that there exist as and fractions of the as, of different weights, and which may be classes according to their respective weights."

    In conclusion, amidst much that is vague, confused, and improbably, thus much may be looked upon as matter of fact, devoid altogether of doubt and uncertainty, viz.--1. That the first Roman money was of brass.--2. That the first unit of the Roman mint was a value named as, which was likewise the unit of weight and measures.--3. That the first as money existed from the establishment of a coinage at Rome, under Servius Tullius, to the first Punic was.--4. That five years before that period, namely, A.U.C. 408 (B.C. 269), silver money was first struck at Rome.--5. That, at this epocha, an alteration took place in the monetal unit. The as, which had become of less and less value, ceased to serve the purpose of numbering sums, and the Sestertius took its place as the unit of money.--6. That the module and weight, and consequently the metallic value of the as, having experienced these successive reductions up to the era of the imperial government of Rome, brass money then became fixed at a lower value, in the ratio of its weight; and this value preserved a greater degree of steadiness than it had previously possessd.-- See Manuel de Numismatique Ancienne, T.i. passim.

    [It has already been observed, that the as has for its types, on one side the head of Janus, called bifrons, having two faces, with an oblong sign , placed at the top of the head, as the distinguishing nota, or mark; and on the other side, the prow of a ship, with a similar note or sign.

    At the beginning of this article, on the subject of the as, is placed an engraving in wood, to the exact size, from a cast, of which the original is, with others of the same class, in the cabinet of the British Museum. It weighs 8 ozs. 4 dwts. 20 grains, and measures two inches and a half in diameter.

    This well preserved and rare specimen of its circular brass coinage is assigned, by numismatic antiquaries, to a very early, though not the earliest, period of the Roman mint. Nevertheless, looking to its style of fabric--its free design--its high and bold relief--and particularly to the features of the bifrons, so decidedly analagous as they are with the characteristics of Etruscan art, it seems scarcely possible to avoid asociating this noble relic of antiquity to an age of monetal workmanship anterior to that of Rome. But then there is the fact to encounter, that even this cast piece of rounded copper, from the die-sinker 's matrix, with all its breadth, thickness, and weight, is itself an instance of great diminution from the original as, which from a pound of 12 ounces, gradually dwindled down to the weight of hardly half an ounce! So un-


















satisfactory, even to repulsiveness, are as yet the results of research and argument, on points of essential importance, connected with this particular branch of Roman Numismatics.

    In the preceding example of the smaller sized as, without the names of families, the word ROMA on the reverse is certainly not required to indicate either the place, or the later date, of its mintage. The archaics of Etruria had clearly nothing to do with coins of this description, which are stamped as to legend and fabric, with the indubitable impress of republican Rome.--This specimen is selected from a plate in Kolb 's Traite Elementaire, (T.i.pl. 1), chiefly on account of the winged thunderbolt accompanying the prow, a symbol rarely seen on this class of coins.

    The two following are proofs of the still further reduction of the as, and each is inscribed with the name of a Roman family, viz.:--




    The name of C. FABI. C. F. appears on the reverse of this second brass, struck by one (but there is no clue to ascertain which) of the members of this most ancient patrician house.--See Fabia gens.



    Cornelia gens.--A second brass on which we read CIN.AE, above the ship 's prow, and ROMA, below it. It was Cn. Cornelius Magnus, grandson of Pompeius Magnus, whose name thus appears under the form of Cina.--See Dict. of Greek and Roman Biography, &c. 1, 755.]

    As libralis.--In reference to this appellation, given by Latin authors, to the most ancient brass money of Rome, and as also indicating a weight of twelve unciae, Eckhel says, "Up to the present time, no Roman as libralis has ever been discovered; and of the parts of the as, Passeri cites but one instance of a triens, which weighed four unciae."

    As Italicus.--Several cities of Magna Graecia, and of other districts of Italy, adopted in the earlier times, for their monetary unit, the Roman as. And the explanations, which relate to the as. also apply to them.

    It is to be observed, however, that by the elder school of numismatic antiquaries, sufficient distinction was not made, between the as minted at Rome, and that of the other Italian cities. More attention was paid to this subject by deeply learned men of a subsequent period; and the result of their recondite studies has established the fact, that certain nations of Italy (such as the Volaterrani, the Tudertes, the Iguvini, the Hadriani,) had each their own coinage of the as; and that these were of the proper weight, as is shewn by the name of the respective cities inscribed on their coins.--Livy, in more than one passage, related, that the inhabitants of Italy, conquered at different periods by the Romans, were despoiled, by the victors, of their brass money. "Therefore," says Eckhel, "we must not reckon amongst the coinage of Rome, all pieces of that king, which, being without inscriptions, do not declare the locality in which they were struck. It is the TYPES which furnish the clearest evidence of the ROMAN die. For the as presents on its obverse a head of Janus; the semis, of Jupiter; the triens, of Pallas; the quadrans, of Hercules; the sextans, of Mercury; the uncia, also of Pallas; whilst all of them exhibit the prow of a vessel on their reverse.--And that these types were peculiar to the Roman coins is proved by the asses, and their constituent parts, which, afterwards diminished in size, bear the names of Roman families, with ROMA inscribed near them; and which continued to be distinguished by the same types on both sides respectively, to the latest period of the Republic. For there are brass coins even of Sextus, which display on one side the head of Janus, and on the other the prow of a vessel."--The erudite and sagacious author of Doctrina, then goes on to caution his readers against considering, indiscriminately, coins which bear the very name of the Roman people to have been all of Roman fabric, many of them having been ascertained to belong to Panormus (Palermo, in Sicily), Paestum (in Southern Italy), and other places.--Moreover there are extant, brass coins of the Clovia, Oppia, and other Roman families, which present every indication of a foreign mint.--If therefore all these are (and they ought to be) excluded, there would remain but an insignificantly small number of those which form exceptions to the rule, and respecting which any doubt could be entertained, as to whether they should be classed amongst the coins of Rome." Since then (adds Eckhel) "it may be regarded as a rule, failing only in a very few instances out of a vast number, that those are Roman coins, which are distinguished by the above-mentioned types, so I should scarcely hesitate to pronounce, that the exceptions belong, in almost every case, to a foreign people, though an unknown one."

  For some further notices, incidental to this subject, see Brass coinage of the Romans.


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