L'economia pre-monetale romana: tra paradigmi evoluzionistici e modelli greci

The archaeological evidence suggests that coins were not minted earlier than the end of the 4th and the beginning of the 3rd century BC. Before this, means of payment in Rome included cattle and weighed bronze. Inspired by Greek monetary history, Mommsen proposed an evolution model from oxen to bronze, anticipating the coinage minted in the Decemviral period. The analysis of the historical sources has shown the persistence of weighed bronze beyond the Decemviral period. The significant influence of the Solonian legislation can help us understand the Roman monetary history and highlight the peculiarity of the Roman solutions.