Aes grave ("heavy bronze") is a term in numismatics indicating bronze cast coins used in central Italy during the 3rd century BC, whose value was generally indicated by signs: I for the as, S for semis and pellets for unciae. Standard weights for the as were 272, 327, or 341 grams, depending upon the issuing authority.^[1]

The main Roman cast coins had these marks and images:

Issuing cities

Main series were from Rome, Ariminum (Rimini), Iguvium (Gubbio), Tuder (Todi), Ausculum (Ascoli Satriano), Firmum (Fermo), Hatria - Hadria (Atri), Luceria (Lucera), and Latin central Italy. Other series have unknown provenance.

Gallery

• 
  As (c. 235 BC)
• 
  Semis
• 
  Triens (c. 241–235 BC)
• 
  Quadrans (c. 230–226 BC. weight 63.19 g
  Vecchi 61; Crawford 27/8)
• 
  Sextans (c. 289–245 BC)
• 
  Quincunx (coin) (after 220 BC)
• 
  Teruncius (Apulia, Luceria. c. 220 BC)
• 
  Uncia (coin) (c. 275–270 BC)

See also

• Roman Republican coinage
• Aes rude
• Aes signatum

References

Further reading

• Haeberlin, Ernst: Aes Grave, Das Schwergeld Roms und Mittelitaliens einschließlich der ihm vorausgehenden Rohbronzewährung, Halle 1910.
• Head, Barclay V.: Historia Nummorum, a Manual of Greek Numismatic, London, 1911².
• Sear, David: "Roman Coins and Their Values," Volume I, Spink.
• Sydenham, Edward A.: Aes Grave A Study of the Cast Coinages of Rome and Central Italy. London, Spink, 1926.
• Italo Vecchi. Italian Cast Coinage. A descriptive catalogue of the cast coinage of Rome and Italy. London Ancient Coins, London 2013. Hard bound in quarto format, 84 pages, 90 plates. ISBN 978-0-9575784-0-1

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aes Grave.

• Digital Historia Nummorum
• Cast Greek & Roman Coins
• The Aes Grave of Central Italy by J. G. Milne