Sextans (coin)

The sextans was a Roman coin worth one sixth of an as , that is, two unciae . The token of this coin is therefore two value balls.

The sextans first appeared during the Roman Republic, around 275 BC. Minted in bronze . The motifs on the first coins differ; So on the first pieces mussels, Dioskur heads or turtles are depicted. Only around the year 220 BC. Chr. Were on obverse and reverse established common motifs. From this point on, the head of Mercurius can be seen on the obverse of almost every sextans with two spheres of value, while on the reverse a prora to the right with two spheres of value, usually a "ROMA" above.

From the year 120 BC Chr. Minting took off this Münznominals. Around 90 BC Chr. The coinage was discontinued eventually.

literature

• Rainer Albert: The coins of the Roman Republic . Verlag Gietl, Regenstauf 2003, ISBN 978-3-924861-76-6 .