The First Numismatists

Innovative and infinitely varied, the many coinages of the ancient world inspired much commentary and speculation by philosophers, poets, playwrights, and religious leaders. Among these were Plato, Aristophanes, Pliny the Elder, and Jesus of Nazareth. These early numismatists took note of exchange rates, coin-types, hoards, counterfeits, forgeries, and monetary superstitions. Rulers and minting officials, such as Rome’s tresviri monetales, knew a great deal about the history of coins and sometimes paid homage to old designs. Folklore spun from Judas’s infamous thirty pieces of silver an elaborate tale of this money’s long journey across many lands. Medieval Europe witnessed major changes in levels of monetization and produced only one notable numismatic commentary from the pen of the scholastic bishop Nicholas Oresme.