Γ34

GREEK AND ROMAN COINS

[bk. I

A set of coins (a special emission for the purposes of the ludi
Apollinares made by Volteius M. f. shortly before 74 b.c.)
bear the legend S. C. D(e) T(liesauro\ and we know that the
expenses of these games were defrayed out of a special treasury.
Names of magistrates other than the regular triumvirs do
not occur on bronze coins of the city. Ex S. C. is found on an
anonymous semuncial as, De S. S. on an as of C. Cassius
L. Salina(tor) issued in 85 b.c. Probably all the bronze was
issued by ordinary triumvirs.
Julius Caesar increased the number of the moneyers to four
(towards the end of 45 b.c.). The first members of this new
board were L. Flaminius Chilo, L. Aemilius Buca, M. Mettius,
and L. Sepullius Macer, of whom the first seems to have been the
head of the board, if we judge by his signature L. FLAM I Nl VS
CHILO 1111VIR PRI mus F L AotY.
Hitherto the issuing of gold had not been within the
competence of the board of moneyers. When the Senate
towards the end of 44 b, c. decreed an issue of this metal,
it appointed the praetors C. Norbanus and L. Cestius to
superintend it (so that the coins read, for instance, L. CESTI VS
C. NORBAmzs PRaetores Senatus Consulto). But in the next
year the power of striking gold was transferred to the quatuor-
viri, some of whom added the new distinction to their title
(L. REGVLVS I III VIR Auro PuWice Ferzundo).
The board of quatuorviri as constituted by Caesar had but
a short existence. The old triumviral arrangement was
restored by Augustus after a brief period (b.c. 41-27) in which
no coins signed by regular monetary magistrates were issued.
The names of the triumvirs now appeared for a few years until
15 b.c. From this date onward they were discarded on gold
and silver, but maintained themselves for about ten years on
the bronze coinage, which was instituted in this year. This
was the last appearance of a magistrate’s name on any Roman
coin. Then followed after an interval the change by which
the Senate took over the superintendence of all the copper
or brass coinage, a fact which is indicated by the letters S C,
which henceforward occur on all the small money. The
earliest known coin struck under the new conditions belongs
to the year a. d. ii. The gold and silver coinages remain
in the province of the emperor.