Editing Roman Republican currency (section)

===Evolution: silver vs bronze===
{{Coin image box 2 singles
| header =
| image_left = File:Crawford_224-1-Obverse.jpg
| image_right= File:Crawford_243-1-Obverse.jpg
| caption_left = Obverse, RRC 224/1, 141 BC.
| caption_right = Obverse, RRC 243/1, 134 BC.
| width_left = 150
| width_right = 150
| position = left
| margin =4
| footer = Two denarius obverses showing alternate indications they were worth 16 ''asses''.
}}
By about 140 BC (the exact date is unclear) the denarius was retariffed to 16 ''asses'', indicated by XVI on the obverse of the denarius. This appears first on the coinage marked L.IVLI (RRC 224/1), commonly dated to 141 BC. The clear marking with the number XVI was soon again replaced with an X, but often now with a horizontal bar through the centre as shown in the second example on the left (RRC 243/1); this is sometimes read as a monogram of XVI with all the letters superimposed. The re-tariffing is thought to have been a recognition of a relationship that had developed because of decreased ''as'' weights, both due to wear of old ''asses'' and to decreasing mint weights of newer ones. This meant that the quinarius was worth eight ''asses'', and the sestertius four ''asses''. The new denarius-to-''as'' ratio lasted for hundreds of years. At about the same time the [[unit of account]] changed from ''asses'' to sestertii (HS). This may well be an indicator of inflation.<ref>Crawford 1985:143–151</ref>

The victoriatus continued to circulate well into the 2nd century BC. Victoriati were later popular in places such as Cisalpine Gaul where they circulated alongside drachmae of Massalia ([[Marseille]]).