The following types were distinguished: as, semis, triens, quadrans, sextans and uncia. And this is how money called aes grave (Libral As) appeared, probably already in the 3rd century BCE. These activities also had a prestigious aspect – belonging to higher civilizations. In the meantime, the Romans also began to make smaller bronze coins, which imitated the Greek counterparts, and which resembled the shape of the familiar coins. Probably aes signatum was used until the end of the Third Punic War, i.e. The Romans also placed the inscription “ROMANOM” on the bars, emphasizing their statehood. The bars did not have a constant weight and weighed from 0.5 to 2.5 kg. Over time, rectangular, untreated bronze bars ( aes signatum or “embossed bronze”) appeared, often depicting cattle or a branch with side branches (the so-called Ramo Secco). The pure metals were weak and the tin strengthened the material. It should be noted that bronze was a cheap metal and was made of 90% copper and 10% tin. It is possible that in 406 BCE During the siege of the Veins, it was this new means of payment that paid soldiers. For each transaction, the appropriate amount of aes had to be weighed. Then it was started to use untreated bronze, in small pieces, for payment, the so-called aes rude. Scientists estimate the probable time of the emergence of a new currency in the middle of the 5th century BCE. With the more and more frequent contacts of the Romans with the Greeks living in southern Italy (so-called Great Greece), a need appeared in Roman society to imitate their Greek neighbours.
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