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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Tejas, post: 20854940, member: 84905&quot;]I don&#039;t think that the lack of silver coins was due to a lack of silver. Instead, I think the lack of silver coins indicates the demise of small trade, i.e. an increasing return to barter. The Roman economy was increasingly demonetized in the 5th century. </p><p><br /></p><p>People used gold coins only for certain transactions (paying taxes, paying foreign troops or paying off foreign enemies, paying for high value luxury goods), but the demise of towns (big cities became small cities and small cities became villages) meant that the population shrank and most of those who remained became subsitence farmers, who had no need for coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>I think that silver and copper coins were only used in what little remained of urban life in places like Ravenna, Milan and Rome.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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