Moneta: A History of Ancient Rome in Twelve Coins

by Gareth Harney

Genres: History, Non-fiction
Pages: 384
Rating:

Synopsis:

The extraordinary story of ancient Rome, history's greatest superpower, as told through humankind's most universal object: the coin.

Moneta traces ancient Rome's unstoppable rise, from a few huts on an Italian hilltop to an all-conquering empire spanning three continents, through the fascinating lives of twelve remarkable coins. In these handcrafted pieces of ancient art we witness Caesar's bloody assassination, follow the legions to the edge of the known world, take a seat in the packed Colosseum, and ultimately, watch as barbarian armies mass at the gates.

The Romans saw coins as far more than just money - these were metal canvases on which they immortalised their sacred gods, mighty emperors, towering monuments, and brutal battles of conquest. Revealed in those intricate designs struck in gold, silver, and bronze was the epic history of the Roman world.

Hold the glory and the infamy of ancient Rome in the palm of your hand.

I picked up Gareth Harney’s Moneta on a bit of a whim, and partly because it had Emma Southon’s endorsement on the cover, and I’ve really enjoyed her books. And indeed, Moneta is just as readable as Southon’s work, and I found it surprisingly engaging: coins in and of themselves aren’t that interesting to me, but using an object to interrogate a wider history is great.

One quibble, I suppose, inasfar as it matters, is that it’s not really just twelve coins. Each chapter mentions plenty of other coins. And I’d have loved more images of the coins, close to where they get discussed in the text — I’m no good at imagining what’s not in front of me, since I have no visual imagination at all.

Still, I found it a really engaging read. I’m not usually a fan of imaginative reconstructions, but Harney has a knack of storytelling that made them interesting (though of course one should take them with several pinches of salt). The coins and scenarios he chooses to highlight are fascinating, and worthwhile in understanding the Roman Empire.

I guess the ultimate accolade is that even though it’s non-fiction, I found it pretty unputdownable.

Rating: 4/5