Nummularius

Nummularius (from Latin nummulus : “small change”, “miserable, disgraceful money”) is the name of a coin validator in the Roman Empire .

Since the second half of the 2nd century BC BC coin validators, sometimes also called spectator or probator , were known by name. Sometimes the term was also used to refer to money changers or bankers. In general, a nummularius had the task of checking coins from bankers and merchants for their validity and authenticity at the entrance and exit by touching, touching, smelling, hearing and of course seeing.

The coin validators are known for the tesserae nummulariae, which are named with the modern terminus technicus . On these square stamps the name of Nummularius was on the first page, on the second page the name of the Lord or a free Roman, on the third page the test note ( spectavit ) with details of the day and month. On the fourth page, in the period between 96 BC. BC and AD 88, the consuls were also added to indicate the year.

Nummularii were initially slaves , later freedmen and finally freeborns. During the imperial era, there were imperial nummularii in the mints, which apparently had a control function there. Overseeing it was in Rome at the Urban Prefect , in the provinces of the governor. During his time as governor, Galba had both hands chopped off a fraudulent Nummularius. Their tasks were regulated by a praetorical edict ( Digest 16,3,7,2).

literature

Gerd Stumpf: Nummularius. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 8, Metzler, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-476-01478-9 , Sp. 1062 f. (Comment).