Obriza (Obrussa), Very pure gold. Palladium, A statuette of Minerva in the temple of Vesta. Pallium, A Greek cloak. Paludamentum, An Imperial military cloak. Pusulatum, A small round shield. A small vessel like a saucer used in libations. A shepherd's crook. A small shield, crescent-shaped. The winged travelling-cap of Mercury. The conical shaped cap of the Dioscuri. Refined silver. A French word for very base silver. Præfericulum, A large shallow bowl used in sacrifices wrongly used for guttus, a narrow-necked vase. Prætexta (toga). A magistrate's toga bordered with purple. Radiate, adj. Rostrum, Rostrata, Decorated with prows, as for example a crown or column. Secespita, A knife used in sacrificing. Sella curulis, Throne or chair of the higher Magistrates. Simpulum, A cup with a handle, used in the sacrifices. Subsellium, Suggestum, A musical instrument of percussion used in the cult of Isis. The throne of the plebeian magistrates. A stage or platform used by orators. Teda, or Tada, A pitch-pine torch. Tessera, Tania, Tetrastyle, Tibia, Torque, Tripod, Trireme, Triquetra, Turreted, A small square wooden tablet. adj. used of temples with four columns. a Gallic chieftain's collar. a three-legged bronze altar. a ship with three rows of oars. Three legs united, the symbol of Sicily. Venabulum, a hunting spear. Victimarius, The assistant of the priest at a sacrifice. 118. ABBREVIATIONS. It will be useful to conclude this chapter on nomenclature with an explanation of the Abbreviations commonly used in Numismatic books and catalogues throughout Europe. S. scarce, R. rare, RR. very rare, RRR. exceedingly rare. St. = Stück Specimen. desgl. dgl. desgleichen = ditto, the same. ITALIAN ABBREVIATIONS A. A. or O. Aurum or Oro gold. Argento silver. R. Æ. or Br. Aes or Bronzo EL Elettro P. G. B. M. B. P. B. Med. D'. R. a. d. a. s. Medio Bronzo = Dupondius or As. F. D. C. C1. C2, C3. C. R. a sinistra — to left. Fior di conio Fleur de coin. : raro = rare, RR. rarissimo R'. R2. R3. ascending grades of rarity. U. ES. = Unico unique. = AV. Rev. à d. FRENCH ABBREVIATIONS (Some which are identical with the Italian are omitted.) = pierced. = fourrée plated. = SECOND PART. THE REPUBLIC BRONZE COINAGE 119. PRIMITIVE BARTER. Barter or exchange is a natural necessity innate in the human race, and has indeed been employed by all nations from the earliest times. From the remotest periods to the beginning of civilization all nations passed through three distinct periods in regard to their methods of barter. The first was that of simple exchange. Whoever had too much of any given commodity gave away a part in order to obtain for it something he needed, but it was then always necessary to find some one disposed to receive what was thus offered for exchange. The second period was that in which, in order to facilitate and enlarge the field of exchange, a commonly needed commodity was established with a fixed value; this was in some countries cattle, in others skins, grain, shells, or some such article. The third period finally was that in which metal was adopted as such a means of exchange, as more satisfactory than the above mentioned articles, because less cumbrous, not subject to diminution, variation or deterioration, and quite easily divisible into an indefinite number of parts, all composed of a perfectly homogeneous material. From that moment the natural law or exchange or barter entered into the domain of numismatics, and from thence we obtain the first objects for study. 120. The primitive Romans like other nations in a similar condition adopted cattle as their means of exchange. Sheep and oxen were the domestic animals chosen for this purpose, and one of the larger animals was calculated as equivalent to ten of the smaller. Although this system of exchange cannot properly form part of the system of numismatics it may nominally, since even in comparatively recent times, about the year 300 of Rome or 454 B.C. certain laws fixed even then taxes and fines to be paid in heads of cattle, at the same time giving the equivalent in metallic money, it is however interesting to see how from these laws the terminology which we use to-day had its origin. For example from pecus is derived the word PECVNIA; from peculium (a little flock) PECVLIO; from peculatum (theft of cattle) the word SPECULATE (in the sense of extortion); from capita (heads of beasts) the word CAPITAL. 121. AES RUDE. At a certain moment, impossible to determine accurately, the Roman community reached that stage which necessitated the adoption of metal, and the consequent gradual abandonment of cattle, as a means of exchange. The two periods indeed were not clearly divided, progress from one to the other followed insensibly, and as the advantages of metal gradually became manifest, barter by means of cattle became rarer until at last it ceased altogether. Here as elsewhere local circumstances determined the choice of metal. One may almost say gold was unknown in Italy, moreover silver was a foreign import. Bronze 1. When not otherwise stated, the illustrations are of the real size. |