Ancient Coins: Eating out in Ancient Rome

[@JLBRADY1]

A wonderful example of thinking "out of the box" in coming up with such an informative and entertaining video! Grazie mille

[@citizenbubba]

1:34 I could easily listen to you talking for an hour about prices you found!

[@Numischannel]

Hi Leo! Prices in Italy were of course higher than in other parts of the empire. In Egypt for instance, everything was cheaper but workers were paid much, much less. While a basic payment would be 4 sestertii in Rome, a weaver in Egypt in the time of Augustus was paid (by law) 3½, 4 or 6 asses, according to his/her category.

[@jonathanaristone2468]

This was an important fun exercise, thanks Leo !

[@SculptyWorks]

The 12-years-old in me can't help but love the name of that currency! 'As'! Hehehe! This was a fun and informative video! 👍👍❤❤

[@ClassicalNumismatics]

I have to admit I fall for the same internal joke over and over, teehee

[@frazz274]

Great bronze additions! 👏I really loved the idea of this video.

[@ClassicalNumismatics]

The decision on getting this Pius sestertius was heavily influenced by you!

[@allthejon2953]

An informative and fun video! These thought projects are always so much fun to do, what a good friend we have buying food for everyone lol

[@Frog-mf5uu]

Thank you for a Very Appetizing video.

[@bllsmb]

Amazing what only one denarius could buy let alone an aureus!

[@philipwagner7929]

Excellent video ! Very informative and well presented. Sharp examples of ancient Roman coins used in your value comparisons. Thank you !

[@ClassicalNumismatics]

Glad you liked it! I will try making more contextual videos like this one :)

[@mateuszburchard623]

Great video. Thank You

[@brennyvids]

Fantastic video! This was a really fun way to give context to coin values! :)

[@msheehandub]

Was always curious about prices back in ancient times. Very cool video thank you!

[@davidkalman5691]

Such a clever idea. Great insight into the life of the people who first used these coins. Hope you'll do more like this.

[@ClassicalNumismatics]

Glad you liked it! Its a bit research-intensive, but its a very fun topic to look at, I will try to explore other similar ideas in the future :)

[@rolandnyc4938]

Informative as always with a look at an ancient Roman night out. Worth every As!!

[@ClassicalNumismatics]

No As nor dupondii poorly spent on this channel!

[@DieLuftwaffel]

Love this info! Thanks!

[@ClassicalNumismatics]

You are welcome! What would you get for lunch in the Thermopolium and how much would you spend? :)

[@DieLuftwaffel]

@@ClassicalNumismatics Lol, bad question for me! I don't drink alcohol, don't eat grain, and don't eat pork (which the sausage would very likely contain). I would have to go somewhere that had posca for like a quadrans or semis? And from there would have to get a dish made of fish, goat, sheep, chicken, or some big oxen likely being tough from years as a work animal. Any of these of course would be seasoned with garum among other things. Not sure how much other foods besides sausage would cost but I would guess all would be a bit more since sausage is made of cheap leftover bits. I could imagine plentiful shellfish like mussels being comparable perhaps, depending on where you are in the Empire.

[@allanwestphall8108]

a totally great and intelligent video!

[@briankesterson4365]

A great video for teachers!

[@elviskoo548]

5:32 this oreo makes me hungry

[@ClassicalNumismatics]

Tough cookie!

[@Mike_Optimo_Principi]

I once owned that exact coin of Antoninus Pius you showed at the start.

[@ClassicalNumismatics]

The Sestertius? Nice!

[@ancienthistorytube1921]

Interesting how he thought the mule would be the ruin of him and not the prostitutes. Great video, informative and funny.

[@ClassicalNumismatics]

He definitely had his priorities straight!

[@albundy4367]

In those days having fun was way cheaper

[@hasashoepugower1691]

I’d love to try Roman wine bread I think would be interesting to have a bar that actually used Roman money units I also recently bought a bystaine aspron it’s copper and semi cup shaped I was wondering if you knees more on these types of bysintine semi cup coins

[@davidgeister]

Thank you!

[@ΒασιλικηΚαζαντζη-θ8φ]

😂 Incredible information!

[@mikefisher5940]

Very cool. Good job. Thank you very much

[@ClassicalNumismatics]

Glad you liked it Mike! More to come :)

[@JonathanTRomero]

Great video. It was very interesting

[@gabriga6662]

Really nice video !!!! I enjoyed it!!!! Best regards from italy 🇮🇹 I collect also👌🏻

[@MilledSteel]

Fascinating topic 🪙

[@samburdge9948]

you do great work

[@rodneykasputtis9621]

What fun more of these videos

[@maincoon6602]

Very interesting and enjoyable video. Keep up the good work 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻.

[@emcee6365]

Another source I have come upon was to use the price of bread as the base

[@dschehutinefer5627]

Yeah, I had the exact same thought about my uncleaned coins when I first got them and only found that information that you could probably get in the early 3rd century a loaf of bread for two copper nummus coins. I think that's still quite decent when I realize I have 13 of them. So I could probably stay at an inn for a few days if stranded in the past. Also have three Antonianii... what would be the worth of those I wonder?

[@bobartsmith236]

It's funny, I was wondering yesterday what the coins in my collection were worth when they were originally used, and what I could buy with them, but didn't get very far with my research. Thanks for the video, very interesting.

[@janiskar7892]

V Great video thank 👍👍👍👍👍

[@elviskoo548]

this video is fun

[@MD_Panonnia]

First press Like, then watch the video!

[@stephenparker4083]

An excellent exercise in not looking at the ancient world in terms of the modern world.

[@stephenparker4083]

This really gets the listener into the best part of collecting, getting an accurate take on everyday life in the ancient world.

[@spef7396]

I LOVE YOOUR COINS

[@JLBRADY1]

Where did you come across that tombstone? In Pompeii?

[@richardlindquist5936]

Did the Romans tip?

[@LannisterFromDaRock]

1:20 There are actual shopping lists found in Pompey. Look them up, they are a supplementary read on the prices in my opinion. Also, the Falernian for 4 As was probably not real Falernian but the best wine the establishment had at the time. Afaik Falernian was a lot more expensive than that, especially the aged variations. Edit, here is the shopping list found in Pompey: Seven days before the ides: cheese, 1 as; bread, 8 asses; oil, 3 asses; wine, 3 asses. Six days before the ides: bread, 8 asses; oil, 5 asses, onion, 5 asses; for the pignatta, 1 as, bread for the slave, 2 asses, wine, 2 asses. Five days before the ides: bread, 8 asses, bread for the slave, 4 asses; spelt, 3 asses. Four days before the ides: wine for the tamer, 1 denarius (=16 asses); bread, 8 asses, wine, 2 asses; cheese, 2 asses. Three days before the ides: dried fruit, 1 denarius; bread, two asses; steak, eight asses; wheat, 2 asses; beef , 1 as, dates, 1 as; incense, 1 as, cheese, 2 asses; sausage; 1 as, caciotta cheese, 4 asses, oil, 7 asses; at the storehouse, ...; clover, 1 denarius and 1 as; oil, 1 denarius and 9 asses; bread, 4 asses; cheese, 4 asses; leek, 1 as, for a plate, 1 as; at Sittia, 9 asses; thyme ointment, 1 as. Two days before the ides: bread, 2 asses; bread for the slave, 2 asses, The day before the ides: bread for the slave, 2 asses; black bread, two asses, leek, 1 as. On the ides: bread, two asses, black bread, 2 asses, oil, 5 asses, spelt, 3 asses, fish for the tamer, 2 asses.

[@ClassicalNumismatics]

Yes, this shopping list is indeed quite interesting! I have used it as referential material, but since it did not discriminate the number of items, only "Item, X Asses" It was hard to pinpoint quantities with it. The Falernian part is interesting, there are plenty of letters from members of Roman aristocracy that criticize one another for not being able to recognize proper Falernian. Considering this, you might be right, this establishment could be advertising a 4 Asses wine as Falernian without it trully being such a wine. I wouldnt be surprised at all if we found out the vast majority of wine advertised as Falernian wasnt the real thing.

[@socalcraigster]

Cool video.