original denarius did not exceed, in weight, the eightyfourth part of a pound of silver; yet it was valued at ten Asses librales, or eight hundred and forty times its weight in copper.* The figures at first impressed on the silver coinage of Rome, were those of the gods, principally their tutelar divinity, Roma; and of heroes, or famous cities, on one side and on the other, bigated or quadrigated cars of the Dioscuri, or of Victory, variously expressed. These devices varied, in time, according to the fancy of the moneyers; and the coins having them, form a distinct class, denominated by medallists, the consular, — their origin and issue belonging to the period of the consular Italy; and on the mineral productions of these countries in the first ages. The Phoenicians opened gold mines in the island of Thasus, according to Herodotus, lib. vi. They were visited by that historian. The medium of Greece, in effect, represents that of the East; the medium of Italy, that of the West, in those times. Both were reduced to coinage by different processes, and with different results -- applicable in the one case to a quarter of an ounce, and in the other to a pound of metal. * This appears from the statement of Pliny, which applies to the period before the As was reduced in weight (A.U.C. 485, being the fifth year previously to the first Punic War); and so Eckhel understands it. The relative value of the metals is thus decisive on the question, why copper became the staple equivalent in Italy. This relative value (i. e. of silver compared with copper) appears to have been, at least, fourteen times as great as in the present age. The contrast which the East offers to this state of things, is too remarkable to be overlooked. We have already seen that silver was the com mon medium of commerce. In the reign of Solomon it was "in Jerusalem as stones."-1 Kings, x. 27; 2 Chron. 1. 15. Brass was, on the other hand, used in the fabrication of the vessels, utensils, and ornaments of the Temple, which, we should suppose, would rather have been formed from the precious metals, did we not learn from Ezra, viii. 87, that "fine copper" was "precious as gold." The enormous amount of silver which, as we learn from Herodotus, was paid into the Persian treasury by the tributary satrapies, compared with the brazen armour with which Homer clothes his heroes, will add further light to a question already sufficiently perspicuous. government. During the same age, the Romans had, likewise, gold denarii, the value of which was about twenty-four times that of the silver. Thus far, the Roman coinage was generally of a rude character, although there are many exceptions well executed. With the imperial age, a progressive improvement is manifest. Time forbad the lecturer from entering fully into the denominations and value of the imperial coinage. He, therefore, limited himself principally to a description of the imperial copper coins, and the classification of that series by medallists. The coinage in question has been classed, by numismatists, under the heads of large, middle, and small brass, which may be compared with our penny, half-penny, and farthing; although the arrangement depends more upon the size of the head impressed on them, than on the breadth or thickness of the metal. The large brass series contains authentic likenesses of most of the emperors till the time of Gallienus, representations of remarkable edifices, &c. The middle brass, commonly called bronze, likewise furnishes many curious illustrations of the Roman history; and the small series is useful for similar purposes: the latter being rare until the times of Valerian and Gallienus, when it becomes common, with the decline of the large brass series. The medallions struck at Rome, and in the provinces, at the commencement of the reigns of the emperors, or on other occasions, likewise form an important historical series. These were struck by the Greeks, in particular, as memorials of gratitude or flattery. Many appear to have been issued as pattern pieces; and these abound after the time of Maximin, with the "tres moneta" on the reverse. They are apparently intended as specimens of art, for presents from the mint-master to the emperor, or from the emperor to his friends. The best of them are of brass, and are little worn, from not being in common circulation. They are hence highly valued, and the more so in consequence of their scarcity, and beauty of design. Those from Julius Cæsar to Hadrian, besides, are much suspected, and the few genuine examples of this period, are hence only to be found in the choicest cabinets. The imperial silver series is likewise of high value and interest, and of various sizes. Much of it, however, is of base metal, more particularly the coins of potin, struck in Egypt. The common imperial series of gold coins, also forms a class of great beauty and perfection. Mr. Williams proceeded to remark on an advantage which the Roman coinage possesses over the Greek. The latter possesses comparatively little general historical value; the devices of the cities where struck being, for the most part, as uniform as the portraits of the kings on the regal series, without the chronological advantages peculiar to the latter. The Roman imperial coins, on the other hand, in addition to their individual characters and interest, possess a general historical interest, in consequence of being, for the most part, struck to commemorate remarkable events. The difficulties of history are, consequently, cleared up by these contemporary records, which are so complete until the time of Constantine, that histories have been compiled from them. They form the most authentic data in the Roman annals-the years of the consular and tribunitian offices held by the emperors, appearing in the front; and, on the reverse, representations of the events whose dates are expressed on the other side. The coins of Trajan, Hadrian, and the Antonines, are remarkable for this, and for the accurate data which are thereby supplied to history, by which the mistakes of chroniclers are often corrected. Among the description of events commemorated, are the departure of the emperors on expeditions, their successes and returns, their munificence to provinces wasted by famine, visits to the provinces, and benefits conferred during such visits, &c.; as in the case of Hadrian's visit to Britain, A.D. 121. Conquered provinces are represented in a pleasing, and often poetical manner, as in the weeping "Judæa capta" of the coins of Vespasian and Titus; and universal peace is symbolised by the closed temple of Janus, on medals of Nero, with the legend, "Pace Populo Romano terræ marique parta, Janum clusit."* The deaths and consecrations of emperors and empresses are depicted, and their virtues and other attributes beautifully personified. Happiness, hope, abundance, security, piety, modesty, are poetically represented, together with the different countries of the world, and the provinces of the empire. Even naturalists may derive advantage from the study of these coins-those struck on the occasion of the secular games, as the coins of Philip, representing various animals, some of which appear to be now unknown. Accurate portraits of persons of historical eminence are represented, so that busts may be referred to their owners by the agency of medals; together with representations of buildings now in ruins, as they originally stood, as triumphal arches, temples, &c.; so that the poet, the painter, the sculptor, and the architect, derive no less advantage from the study, than the historian. The finest coins and medallions are of the period from Nerva to Pertinax; and those having Greek inscriptions are inferior to those with Latin, during this interval. We now arrive at the decline of the art from the age of Constantine, there was a rapid decline in execution, the * A commentary on the amphibious and universal character of Janus, as god of the land and sea, maintained by Sir W. Betham. The reader's attention should be directed to the complete description of these inestimable illustrations of history, which are to be found chronologically arranged, in Captain Smyth's "Descriptive Catalogue of a Cabinet of Roman Imperial large Brass Medals," and in Mr. Akerman's "Descriptive Catalogue of Rare and Inedited Roman Coins." effects of which became conspicuous in the time of Theodosius. A further decline is observable in the time of Justinian; while, under Phocas, and the succeeding Greek emperors, the coinage becomes wretched. The latter furnished the types of the European coinage during the middle ages, of which nothing can be worse than the workmanship. The English coins, from the Saxon times, till the reign of Henry VII., may be adduced in proof. The revival, which succeeded this decline, may be dated from the middle of the fifteenth century, when Vittori Pisano, a painter of Verona, gave the first impulse to it by producing medals with portraits; and, towards the end of that century, fine papal medals were issued, many of them being designed by eminent painters. Raphael, Julio Romano, and other equally eminent artists, were thus employed. The European coinage thus gradually revived, as exemplified by the English coins of Henry VII. and VIII., and their successors, which, though far inferior to the ancient, shew a decided improvement on the more recent, The improvement, thenceforward, has continued, until the medals of Hamerain, Simon, and Dacier, &c., followed by those of our own times, including the present productions of British artists, are not inferior to those of ancient art. Mr. Williams concluded by the display of between one and two thousand admirable sulphur casts, illustrative of every stage and epoch of coinage, connected with his lecture. The thanks of the Society were voted to Mr. WILLIAMS for his Lecture. HENRY ASHLIN, Esq. was elected a Member of the Society. The following gentlemen were elected Associates, viz.: Dr. G. F. Grötefend. M. L. DE LA SAUSSAYE. M. E. CARTIER. M. L. DE SAULCY. Dr. H. GROte. |