![]() Other scholars find a practical rate of a sestertius equaling about $5 based on how much denarii goods cost throughout the Empire.Ī single loaf of bread would cost about 1/2 a sestertius. This was in the early days of the Empire and it later changed. At one point, a Roman sestertius equaled about $1.50 or 1£ British. Then we look at the cost of actual loaves of bread. Soldiers, who were given meats, vegetables, and a more balanced diet overall to keep them healthy made do with only 30 modii of wheat per year. ![]() Four modii of wheat could feed a slave for a month, assuming he only ate bread. By comparing the costs of wheat and bread in Rome, and our cost of bread today, we can guess an "exchange rate" for Roman money. The price of bread rarely fluctuated, and the change in cost over time is a very good way to see the growth of inflation. To counter hunger, Roman officials calculated that a man would need four loaves of bread a day to survive and be healthy enough to work and live. When historians try to figure out the purchasing power of Roman money, they often looked at the price of bread, as bread was a basic necessity then as food and grain is now. In fact, during parts of the history of Rome, food costs were so high that without free wheat subsidies from the government, the common people would not have been able to survive! For instance, in today's world, one might spend 20% of their total income on food, but in ancient times the cost may have been 50% or more of one's total income. It's a common question that people who start collecting coins ask "How much is this coin worth then? What could I have bought with it? How much do things cost?" In order to fully understand the price of an item, you must also consider the wages workers received to purchase any items with.īefore you study the information below, it is helpful to understand that professions were valued differently in ancient times than they are today. When studying Ancient Rome, it is only natural to wonder what the price of everyday items might have been.
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