denarii

The denarius, plural denarii, was the principal silver coin of the Roman Republic and the early Roman Empire. Its name comes from Latin denarius, meaning containing ten, reflecting its original value of ten asses. It was first minted around 211 BCE during the Second Punic War and quickly became the standard small silver coin used across the Roman state.

Initially struck in silver and produced at Rome and in provincial mints, the denarius circulated widely in daily commerce and also served as a primary payment method for soldiers and public officials. Over time it established itself as the dominant symbol of Roman monetary life, with coins often bearing the portraits of rulers or deities from the Republic and later the imperial era.

In value terms, one denarius was traditionally worth ten asses, with other bronze denominations forming a hierarchical system of exchange. The denarius remained the principal silver coin for several centuries, though its weight and silver content varied as the empire experimented with debasement and reform.

From the 2nd century CE onward the denarius experienced significant debasement as the empire faced inflation and fiscal pressures. In the mid-3rd century, a larger but more debased coin called the antoninianus appeared. By late antiquity the denarius endured mainly as a unit of account, while circulating coinage increasingly consisted of copper-alloy issues. The denarius gradually faded from everyday use as imperial mints produced new monetary systems.

Legacy: the term denarius influenced the names of many modern currencies and money terms, giving rise to denier in French, denaro in Italian, dinero in Spanish, and the dinar family of currencies in various regions.