What is Aureus?
{{Italic title}} [[File:Aureus Septimius Severus-193-leg XIIII GMV.jpg|thumb|The front an back of an aureus from the year 193]] '''''Aureus''''' (plural: '''''aurei''''') was a type of [[gold coin]] in [[ancient Rome]]. It had the same value as 25 [[denarii]] silver coins. An aureus was the same size as a denarius, but it weighed more because [[gold]] is more [[Density|dense]]. Aureus often displayed the bust of the reigning emperor, while the reverse featured various deities, personifications, or significant events. The aureus remained in circulation until the early 4th century AD, when Emperor Constantine I's monetary reforms introduced the [[Solidus (coin)|solidus]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=IQ|first=CoinWeek|date=2022-11-11|title=Ancient Coin Profiles: Roman Gold Aureus of Julius Caesar|url=https://coinweek.com/ancient-coin-profiles-roman-gold-aureus-julius-caesar/|access-date=2024-10-08|website=CoinWeek: Rare Coin, Currency, and Bullion News for Collectors|language=en-US}}</ref> Gold coins like the aureus and solidus were vital to the Roman economy, used for large transactions, military payments, and as a store of value. Their high intrinsic value contributed to economic stability, facilitating efficient tax collection and troop payments, which were essential for sustaining the vast Roman Empire.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2024-07-05|title=Aureus: the first Roman gold coins|url=https://social.vcoins.com/romancoins/aureus-the-first-roman-gold-coins/|access-date=2024-10-08|website=VCoins Community|language=en-US}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} {{stub}} [[Category:Roman coins]]