Coin · Roman Republic
Roman denarius
211 BCE–250 CE, Roman
The Roman denarius is the standard silver coin of Rome from about 211 BCE to the mid-third century CE, struck by Republican moneyers with family types and then by emperors with their portraits. It was the pay of the legions and is found across the empire. It is the most collected Roman coin.
| Object | Coin |
|---|---|
| Dates | 211 BCE–250 CE |
| Period | Roman Republic |
| Cultures | Roman |
| Regions | Europe — Mediterranean, Europe — Western & Central, Europe — Northern & British Isles |
Diagnostic traits
Standard silver coin of about 18-20 mm; Republican issues carry moneyers' types, Imperial issues the emperor's portrait.
Identification
About 18 to 20 mm and 3 to 4 g of silver, with Republican reverses of chariots and moneyers' types and Imperial portraits, distinguishing it from the larger antoninianus with a radiate crown and from the small quinarius. Fineness falls after Nero. Plated fourrées are ancient forgeries.
Reproductions and fakes
Cast fakes and modern struck fakes from Bulgaria are abundant; check weight, style, edge seams and surface. Genuine coins show flow lines and toning.
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Roman denarius" (Artifact type). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/types/roman-denarius. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-roman-denarius,
title = {Roman denarius},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/types/roman-denarius}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, commons. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.