Hill, George Francis: A handbook of Greek and Roman coins (London: Macmillan, 1899)

46

GREEK AND ROMAN COINS

[bk. I

bronze (Fig. io), which were issued in Rome and other parts
of Italy even in the third century. These probably passed as
multiples of the libral as. The denominations from the as
down wards were as follows·—
Mark of value.
As of 12 unciae
Semis of 6 unciae S
Triens of 4 unciae · · · ·
Quadrans of 3 unciae · · »
Sextans of 2 unciae · ·
Uncia ·

Very few extant coins testify to the full libral weight of
the as. A solitary specimen weighs the excessive amount



Fig. 11.—Roman as of 10J oz. Obv. Head of Janus. Rev. Prow of galley,
and mark of value I. % scale. Weight: 289-88 grammes (4473*5
grains Troy).
of 390 3 g., but it is probably under the influence of some
non-Roman standard1. There exist however a
semis of 161.25 g. indicating an as of 322-50 g. (Vienna),
a triens of 110-44 g* indicating an as of 331-32 g. (Vienna),
and an uncia of 27-32 g. indicating an as of 327-84 g. (Collegium Romanum'.
The heaviest asses (apart from the exceptional one just men-
tioned) weigh from 312-3 g. to 300 g., i.e. between 12 and
11 oz.
This high standard was not long maintained. Probably

1 Kubitschek in Pauly-Wissowa, Real-Enc. ii. 1509.