My Aes Rude - or Am I Rude?

Hello everyone. I am fascinated with Early Roman History, and particularly the Res Publica portion of their history! The Republic was the proving ground of ideas, struggles, and successes that later created the Roman Empire that everyone is fascinated with. Personally, I always loved "going back to basics", "laying sound foundations", "understanding the root cause" of things, the "kernel of truth" in legends, and the beginnings of history as to what made a people successful. Hence, my love for the history of the Roman Republic...

When the Greek world was using Silver and Electrum as their basis of coinage, Central Italy was using bronze. When the Greeks had learned to strike gorgeous images into coinage, Rome and Central Italy were playing with rock weights... albeit bronze - Aes Rude.

5th and 4th Century BCE Central Italy had no real access to silver in any quantity. However, they were able to mine copper to make into bronze. Since Central Italy was an agrarian society, their trade needs were focused on common needs, and the use of bronze weights in the form of Aes Rude suited them. However, this can be considered their first account of trade as it was based on a fiat material representing asset value for trade. It was virtually their first "Coinage".

Further, I am fascinated that Early Rome used Aes Rude as a crude form of "coinage" for trade in the 5th and 4th Century BCE, progressed to casting Aes Signatum (large bronze rectangular plates), to Aes Grave (heavy cast bronze round coinage weight from a pound to smaller weights), then not until 280 BCE to Silver Didrachm and finally silver Denarii in 211 BCE... Contrast this to the Greeks starting silver and electrum coinage approx 7th Century BCE.

I could not resist "going back to basics", "having the foundation", "understanding the root cause of early Roman trade", and captured an Aes Rude. It befitted my eclectic needs!




Roman Republic
Aes Rude
Bronze (AE)
ca. 5th - 4th Century BCE
Max Length 29.7mm, 32.4g
Sear Vol 1 #505
Provenance: FORVM Ancient Coins

Since I am not sure if there are many CT members that have an eclectic "coin" such as this, I invite everyone to post their eclectic ancient coinage or trade implements (Personally, I have Scythian Arrowheads, Celtic Brass Ring money, Amerind Stone Ax Head, etc. also.)

 

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I guess I am completely unfamiliar with Aes Rude. Sorry to say, but it looks like a rock to me. However, I trust your judgement and knowledge on the matter.

I have several pieces I've picked up over my travels. Mostly pieces of Roman pottery and tile works. But my son found this spear point or pila point when he was kicking around in the ruins at Italica. It's 5.5 inches long and 2.5 inches at it's widest part.

 

So this is where it all began.........

Very nice Alegandron, I love early Roman history as well, perhaps one day I will get me an Aes Rude!
Congrats!

 

I like it Aleg! I have wondered how we differentiate Aes Rude from just rock. Is it because it's bronze (does bronze occur naturally?). Is it a uniform weight? I saw some nice Aes Grave at the coin show in Greensboro this weekend and was tempted, but I'm still holding out for an Alexander Tet - will hopefully get some of this older unusual stuff later.

 

all i have is this pup...believe it fits the category..



GREEK
Sarmatia, Olbia
5th-4th Centuries BC
Bottlenose Dolphine - proto money
BMC Thrace Sarmatia 19
27mm 1.7g

 

LOL, yeah, it looks like a rock to me too!

Love the spear point! Leaf blade... pretty deadly!

 

i saw a couple of these on bronze blobs on vcoins....they are not cheapies!

i'm in the dolphin club as well.

 

Really nice pickup. My collection is all traditional coins at the moment but I'm definitely looking to buy a nice Aes Rude once I knock out a few more traditional coins of the Republic.

 

RATS!!! I totally SPACED the Greensboro Show!

 

That's awesome. Can one simply walk out of the country with an artifact like that? ha.

 

LOL, me thoughts too...

 

Nice paper weight

J/k

Considering your area of collecting, this is an important item to get. Congrats.

 

Yeah, I know...it took me a long while to pull the trigger... Maybe, I should tell everyone it is a MOON ROCK???

 

Well, there were only 2 tables with ancients. Some good stuff, but they were easily the most crowded tables at the show. It felt a little awkward digging through coins to be honest...

 

Yes, I know the two dealers pretty well. great people.

 

The problem with Aes Rude is that you almost have to have one from a provenienced find to know you have a Rude not just a lump of bronze.
Yours looks right.

 

I'm with Bing, it looks more like a rock. To be a little more specific, dino poop. No offense intended but that's what it looks like.

 

It does seem too easy, but when I visited Italica and other Roman ruins, there is no one checking to see if you picked up anything. Like I said, I have a bowl full of shards of tile I've found in those sites. I even have something resembling an ornate spoon I found at another ruin in Spain. But it appears to be from a later date than Roman era.

 

Bing... seriously? Isn't that illegal?

 

I dunno, but probably.