Expert: Maria - 9/22/2007

Question
Hello Maria,
studying texts i keep on getting information about money but have nothing to relate it to: do u know of any sources (preferably online) that will tell me modern equivalents, or something that can at least give me some clue...
for example, i have noted that (unfortunately i didn't not which period exactly this related to) a sesterius is a silver, then later bronze coin = 1/4 denarius or 2 1/2 (later 4) asses....but i'd like to know how much compared with today's currencies - or perhaps, how much was a loaf of bread, monthly wages, rent...

if you can direct me to any sources i would appreciate it.

many thanks.

Answer
Hello,

as far as I know, there is no online site where you can compare  Roman money ( As, Sestertius, Denarius) with today's currencies, while there is a site about Prices in Ancient Rome(see http://ancientcoins.biz/pages/economy/).

For further info on Roman money see at:
http://www.answers.com/topic/as-coin
http://www.coin-newbies.com/articles/sestertius.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/denarius?cat=entertainment
http://www.answers.com/sestertius
http://www.dl.ket.org/latin2/mores/currency/currency.htm
http://www.kingsmead.hackney.sch.uk/the%20romans/romanpages/money.html
http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~silver/Reference/money.html
http://ancientcoins.biz/pages/economy/
http://www.hadrians.com/rome/romans/sources/roman_money.html

Best,
Maria