3rd century BCE – 3rd century CEReputable sourceWell documented
The Coinage of Rome
On the timeline · around 3rd century BCE – 3rd century CE · The Age of Coins
What happened
Rome built one of history's great monetary systems, anchored by the silver denarius. Coins carried the emperor's portrait and propaganda to every corner of the empire, paid the legions, and oiled a vast trade network. But by the 3rd century CE, emperors debased the coinage — cutting its silver content — triggering runaway inflation.
Why it matters
Roman coinage tied together a Mediterranean-wide economy, and its debasement is one of history's clearest early lessons in inflation: that money's value depends on trust, not just on the metal it contains.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Roman Coinage · Reputable source
Related timelines
- Ancient Rome → — The money that ran the Roman Empire