and-a-half ounces, and is drawn from a specimen in the British Museum.

The Semis, Semisis, or Semi-as, has an S upon it to denote its weight, as half that of the "as;" it represented six ounces, and the type most usual in the Roman series is the head of Jupiter.

The Semis when the weight was much reduced.

The Triens, or third of the "as," represented four ounces, and is distinguished by four globules or dots to denote the four ounces-the type is generally the head of Minerva.

The Quadrans, or fourth, represented three ounces, and has three dots or globules, and generally the head of Hercules for type.

The Sextans, or sixth, represented two ounces, and has generally the head of Mercury for type and two globules.

The Uncia, or ounce, was the twelfth part, and has generally one dot or globule, and the head of Minerva.

The uncia here engraved is of the same period as that of

the "as" of nine-and-a-half ounces; there are several of them in the British Museum, and twelve of them are found to weigh about one of the larger piece.

There was also the semi-uncia, or half-ounce, which with the whole of the series has most commonly the prow of a ship for the reverse.

The divisions of the "as were also named after the number of ounces they contained-as deunx, dextans, dodrans, bes, or bessis septunx, sescunx or sectans, quincunx, and teruncius. Of the dodrans or nine-ounce piece, only one example is known-struck by the Cassian family, bearing an S, signifying the half "as," or six ounces, with three dots or globules in addition.

The "as" in its square and circular form appears to have been invariably cast, as also the smaller pieces, its fractional parts. The style of art when critically examined proves that these pieces are not of the high antiquity once assigned to them the rudeness being rather that of accomplished artists, working in a bold sketchy manner, than the archaic rudeness inseparable from art in its early stages. The as of nine-anda-half ounces, engraved in Plate VII., is nearly three-fourths of an inch in thickness in the thickest part. The fabrication of these pieces, as before stated, may therefore be assigned to Greek artists employed by the Romans, whose backwardness in the adoption of a finished manufacture of their money appears extraordinary, when we consider the close proximity of the Greek cities of Campania, where coined money of beautiful execution had been in circulation for more than two centuries, at the time when the Romans first adopted the circular form for their rude and unwieldy copper

money.

It has been conjectured that this backwardness was more the result of intention than of chance, or the absence of sufficient ability to imitate; and that the warlike rudeness of the Oscan, Samnite, and Latin tribes disdained to imitate or adopt the refinements of their neighbours of the Grecian colonies.

It appears, also, that although these warlike and semibarbarous states disdained to coin elegant money for themselves, they allowed the money of their neighbours to circulate in their states, which is proved by several wellknown passages in Roman authors.

Some of the pieces larger than the "as," after the circular form was adopted, are of the diameter of four inches and

five-eighths, and thick in proportion. These extraordinary dimensions give to these immense coins an appearance of great grandeur, though the execution is often very poor. They are the pieces called decusses, denoted by an X, of the value of ten ases, but are generally of a later period than the as," and must have been struck when the "as" was reduced to about four ounces-as the heaviest weigh little more than thirty-nine ounces. Some of these gigantic coins have the head of Roma one side, behind which is the numeral X, and on the reverse the prow of a ship; others have a Victory driving a biga, and beneath, the word ROMA, with the same reverse as the former; the numeral X frequently occurs on both sides in these large pieces.

A decussis of the same type as the first-named is figured by Carelli, which is only three inches and three-eighths in diameter, and which is therefore (in rough approximation) nearly one-fourth lighter than the above-named specimens, and must have been coined when the " as was reduced to about three ounces. It is probable even when the circular “as " was at the highest weight of which we have any specimens, namely, about nine-and-a-half ounces, that the decussis may have been struck; and if so, unless of very much thicker proportion, it must have formed a coin of above nine inches superficial diameter. After briefly alluding to the coinage of the "as" in other Italian states, I shall describe its gradua! reduction to the period when it became virtually superseded by the issue of the bronze Sestertius.

CC
THE AS IN OTHER ITALIAN STATES.

Many of these interesting coins have been engraved in the work of Marchi and Tessieri, and in that of Carelli; the finest collection being that of the Kircherian Museum at Rome.

Ases bearing the type of the wheel, are attributed to this people, and supposed to have been adopted as a speaking type,*

It appears probable, that speaking types, as mere puns, were used on Italian coinages; though I am inclined to think not on those of G-ro:c. Sea Greek types.

the name of the city, written in the native character, KRVTVN, or RVTVN, probably signifying a wheel, which its resemblance to the Latin rota renders probable.

66
THE AS " OF TUDER.

The series of uncial money of Tuder has the name in fuil in native Oscan or Etruscan characters on the "as," semis, sextans, and triens, and abbreviated on the quadrans and uncia. The heaviest "as" of the Tuder series, exceeds that of any other state except Rome, but it never exceeds eight ounces, and it would therefore appear that the uncial coinage was not introduced there till the " as "had fallen from twelve to eight ounces at Rome. The types of this series are, the eagle; reverse, cornucopia, for the "as;" the lyre; reverse, sleeping dog, for the semis.

66
THE AS OF IGUVIUM.

These coins have the name of the city in Oscan characters, as IKVLINI. The greatest weight of the "as" in this series is seven ounces. The type of the larger pieces of Iguvium is the sun, represented by a ball surrounded with detached rays, and the crescent moon and stars on the reverse. The types of the smaller pieces are very various, such as pincers, or some other tool connected with the operations of coins; or, a bunch of grapes, &c.

The "as" of this series weighs above seven ounces, and all the pieces have for type a bifrontal head, wearing a conical cap, and on the reverse, a club. Many of these series of ases of the Italic cities may be classed into sts agreeing with different standards of weight, as gradually reduced. The heaviest set of Volterra is the one mentioned. The lighter sets have different types, in each successive diminution of weight, which seems always to have led to the adoption of fresh types.

Some of this uncial money of Volterra has the type of the wheel on one side, which is considered to intimate an alliance with Aretinum, the metropolis of which was Krutun. While

AS

those with a vase on one side, are supposed by the PP. Marchi and Tessieri to belong to the secondary city of that state, Aretinum, famous for its manufacture of pottery.

The series of ases of this place, the modern Rimini, is very interesting. The period of its issue, judging from the weight, accords with that of its occupation by the Gauls, who, it would appear, struck money of this class in imitation of the Romans. The type is a head, apparently a portrait ; as the hair worn in the manner of the barbarians; the face being unshaven on the upper lip only; and round the neck is a torque or necklace. If this be a portrait, it is the earliest example of the kind in Italic money, as that of Julius Cæsar was not placed upon the Roman coinage till more than two centuries later. The uncial money of Rimini would appear to have been issued about 295 B.C., at the period of the alliance of the Gauls of Rimini with the Etruscans. This Gallic state was destroyed by the Romans at the battle of Sentinum.

The ancient city of Hatria, situate on the eastern coast, was, in the earliest period of Italic history, of so much commercial importance, that it gave its name to the Adriatic Sea, as the Sea of Hatria. The uncial money of this place about the period of which we are treating, forms an exception to the general rule, that money of this class is lighter in every other Italian state than the Roman, and consequently more recent. The " as of Hatria being, on the contrary, heavier; being frequently found of the full pound weight; hence, judging from weight alone, the "as" of Hatria, of the circular class,* would appear older than the Roman, the greatest known weight of which is about nine-and-a half ounces; but the comparatively modern form of the Latin characters of the inscription, HAT, combined with the style of art, seem to prove that these coins are even

* No square are known.