Keywords
Roman currency
numismatics
gold
silver
inflation
late Empire
How to Cite
Abstract
The article analyzes the treatise De rebus bellicis and its significance for research on the monetary system of the late Roman Empire, which is important for reconstructing the economic transformations of this period. The aim of the study is to redetermine the date of the work and to interpret its economic data. The author applies analysis of the source text together with comparison to numismatic and archaeological data. The most important results indicate that the absence of any mention of silver in the treatise corresponds to the realities of the 5th century rather than the 4th century, when silver still played an important role. Analysis of the monetary system shows the dominance of gold as the basis of the fiscal system, the marginalization of silver, and the functioning of bronze as small coinage. At the same time, the scale of coin forgery increased, which is confirmed by archaeological finds, while data from the Balkans show a transition from the dominance of bronze to the predominance of gold in circulation. De rebus bellicis should therefore be interpreted as a source reflecting the economic realities of the 5th century, which is of key importance for research on the economic transformation of the late Empire.
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