Denari (silver)
Sesterces (bronze)
As (bronze)
Aureus - (gold) - this demonination was exceedingly rare in the time of 80BC - it had only started to enter circulation (in 83BC) and was used to pay armies. Hence if you start spending gold coins in Pompeii it would be the equivalent of using marked bills - questions will be asked and the vigile may come knocking on your door. It was the highest value coin in roman currency at the time, hence I include it for comparison.
1 Aureus = 25 Denarius = 100 Sesterces = 400 Asses
The richest man in this time period was Marcus Licinius Crassus. It was estimated that he was worth around 200 million sesterces - the equivalence of the Treasury of Rome.
From Wikipedia:
The census divided citizens into six complex classes based on property. The richest were the senatorial class, who during the Late Republic had to be worth at least 400,000 sestertii, the same as the equites; when Augustus reformed the senate during the first years of the Principate, he raised the property requirement to 1,000,000 sestertii.[7] The wealth of the senatorial class was based on ownership of large agricultural estates, and by custom members did not engage in commercial activity.
Below the senatores in rank, but above others were the equites ("equestrians" or "knights"), with 400,000 sestertii, who could engage in commerce and formed an influential business class. Certain political and quasi-political positions were filled by equites, including tax farming and, under the Principate, leadership of the Praetorian Guard. Below the equites were three more classes of property-owning citizens; and lastly the proletarii, whose property was valued below 11,000 asses.
The following price lists have been modified from Diocletian's "Edict of Maximum Prices" issued in 301 AD to curb inflation. As Legionaries were paid 320 denarii a month in 300AD and around 112 denarii a month before reforms by Caesar, I did a rudimentary adjustment for inflation (i.e: divided it all by 3). There is no accurate reference to compare the value of roman coins to modern day currency - as the coinage changed in intrinsic value (i.e: deteriorated) over the years. (Also different websites quote different figures!!) So please bear this in mind when you use these values for guidance and comparison.
M O N T H L Y S A L A R I E S :
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MILITARY:
Legionary Soldier (Private)………...............................112 denarii
Praetorian (guard in Rome)..........................................320 denarii
Legionary Soldier (Centurion)..................................1600 denarii
Note that soldiers were also given other allotments such as wheat. However they had to pay for their own equipment, clothing and rations and even contribute for funerals for the fallen in their unit.
LABORERS:
Secretary/clerk................................................................160 denarii
Lecturer..…………..............................................................150 denarii
Messenger……….............................................................64 denarii
haruspex (fortune teller) ……………..........................80 denarii
farm laborer, with maintenance.................................106denarii
lime burner, with maintenance...................................160 denarii
drover, with maintenance............................................80 denarii
sewer cleaner, working a full day, with
maintenance...............................................................80 denarii
shepherd, with maintenance......................................80 denarii
water carrier, working a full day, with
maintenance................................................................80 denarii
all other general labor..................................................80 denarii
SKILLED LABORERS:
cabinet maker, with maintenance..............................160 denarii
carpenter, with maintenance……...............................214 denarii
stone mason, with maintenance................................214 denarii
figure painter, with maintenance...............................320 denarii
fuller (Wool weaver),………….......................................320 denarii
marble paving and walls custodian, with
maintenance................................................................160 denarii
wall mosaics worker, with maintenance.................160 denarii
model maker, with maintenance...............................240 denarii
EDUCATION/LEARNED PROFESSIONALS:
Elementary teacher per boy
avg 8-10 pupils.............………………………………....21 denarii
Teacher of arithmetic, per boy
avg 8-10 pupils……………………………….................21 denarii
Teacher of shorthand, per boy
avg 8-10 pupils ………………………………................21 denarii
Teacher of Greek or Latin language/literature,
per pupil /avg 8-10 pupils……...............................54 denarii
Teacher of geometry, per pupil
avg 8-10 pupils……………………………...................54 denarii
Teacher of rhetoric or public speaking,
per pupil/avg 8-10 pupils........................................22 denarii
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COST OF GOODS AND SERVICES
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Quick Reference:
A loaf of bread……....................................................................66 sesterces
A bath at a public bath.................……...............................33 sesterces
A tunika (clothing)......................................…….................22 denarii
Everyday cloak…………….................................60 to 160 denarii
2 sparrows….....................................……..............................33 sesterces
Bi-Weekly cost of gladiator sponsorship
approx. (novice)…………….........................36 to 187 denarii
Bi-Weekly cost of gladiator sponsorship
approx. (veteran)…….…...........................213 to 346 denarii
Bi-Weekly cost of gladiator sponsorship
approx. (champion)….…........................373 to 533 denarii
Earnings from a winning gladiator
(novice)……………………….….........................320-533 denarii
Earnings from a winning gladiator
(veteran)……….....................………………….800-2667 denarii
Earnings from a winning gladiator
(champion)………………………......................…..5300+ denarii
Temple Offerings;
Basket of Fruits & Grains………........................................30 sesterces
2 Sparrows…..........................................................................30 sesterces
2 Doves…..............................................................................2 denarii
2 Pigeons….............................................................................1 denarii
Goat ………………...............................................................130 denarii
Calf ………............................................................................88 denarii
Bull ………………...............................................................533 denarii
Monthly Domestic upkeep
(the cost of food, rent, water, wine, clothing, slaves, etc)
A small one room house in the city……...................160 denarii
A small two room house in the city..………...............266 denarii
An urban villa...........…………………..............................533 denarii
A pastoral villa................................................................800 denarii
Cost to purchase:
ANIMALS & SLAVES
1 donkey……………........................................................667 denarii
1 cow…...................................................................533-1067 denarii
1 farm slave (male) …………...................................27-270 denarii
1.common slave (child)...........…….......................27-1067 denarii
1 common slave (female)......…….....................53-1067 denarii
1 common slave (male)......................................53-533 denarii
1 special slave (gladiator, guard)...................270-533 denarii
1 special slave (female, pretty or
trained in special skills)……….................2700-10680 denarii
1 skilled slave (carpenter, accountant,
scribe, blacksmith etc)…............................533-2700 denarii
1 Greek tutor slave.......................................5400-27000 denarii
LAND
1 acre land = 5333 denarii
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BREAD FLOUR
(pricing based on a month’s supply of flour for a family of 4)
A months worth of Wheat..............................................42 denarii
A months worth of Barley……………..............................31 denarii
A months worth of Rye......................................................31 denarii
A months worth of Millet,...............................................42 denarii
A months worth of Panic...................................................31 denarii
A months worth of Spelt,...............................................42 denarii
Subsidies were issues by the government to supply bread flour to the people or else many would have starved to death. Not everyone could afford to eat bread. If there were no public ovens available for baking, people would make a simple porrige out of wheat flour - similar to polenta.
VEGETABLES, BEANS & GRAIN
(pricing based on a month’s supply of flour for a household of 4)
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Beans, crushed...................................................................10 denarii
Beans......................................................................................5 denarii
Lentils......................................................................................10 denarii
Pulse........................................................................................10 denarii
Peas, split..............................................................................10 denarii
Peas, not split.......................................................................5 denarii
Rice, cleaned........................................................................21 denarii
Barley grits, cleaned.........................................................10 denarii
Spelt grits, cleaned...........................................................21 denarii
Sesame..................................................................................21 denarii
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WINES
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Picene, dinner serving......................................................5 denarii
Picene, amphora.................................................................21 denarii
Tiburtine dinner serving..................................................5 denarii
Tiburtine amphora..............................................................21 denarii
Sabine dinner serving......................................................7 denarii
Sabine amphora..................................................................27 denarii
Falernian dinner serving...................................................10 denarii
Falernian amphora............................................................43 denarii
Aged wine, dinner serving................................................3 denarii
Aged wine, amphora.........................................................10 denarii
Ordinary wine dinner serving..........................................1 denarii
Ordinary wine amphora...................................................5 denarii
Beer, Gallic or Pannonian dinner serving..................... 50 sesterces
Beer, Egyptian dinner serving.........................................30 sesterces
OILS & SEASONINGS
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From unripe olives 1 bottle...............................................3 denarii
Second quality 1 bottle......................................................2 denarii
Salt 1 month’s supply........................................................10 denarii
Spiced salt 1 month’s supply...........................................1 denarii
Honey, best quality 1 bottle...........................................5 denarii
Honey, second quality 1 bottle.......................................3 denarii
Liquamen primum, 1 bottle ........................................ 5 denarii
Liquamen secundum, 1 bottle ..................................... 4 denarii
MEAT
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Pork 1 pound........................................................................2 denarii
Beef 1 pound.......................................................................2 denarii
Leg of pork, Menapic or Cerritane,
best 1 pound ……………………....................................3 denarii
Pork mincemeat 1 ounce...................................................60 sesterces
Beef mincemeat 1 pound..................................................60 sesterces
Pheasant, fattened..............................................................9 denarii
Pheasant, wild.......................................................................2 denarii
Chickens 1 brace................................................................2 denarii
Venison 1 pound.................................................................2 denarii
Butter 1 pound.......................................................................2 denarii
FISH
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Sea fish with rough scales 1 Italian pound..................2 denarii
Fish, second quality 1 Italian pound...............................2 denarii
River fish, best quality 1 Italian pound..........................1 denarii
River fish, second quality 1 Italian pound....................1 denarii
Salt fish 1 Italian pound.......................................................60 sesterces
8 dozen Oysters.................................................................10 denarii
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Reference:
http://ancientcoinsforeducation.org/content/view/79/98/
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