MovieChat Forums > Plebs (2013) Discussion > How much would you say Denari are worth?

How much would you say Denari are worth?

posted 8 years ago by kateskye
4 replies | jump to latest

This is probably a silly topic but it's a silly show. Besides, some of the jokes hinge on how high the prices are in Rome or when people pay too much money for things.

So, how much would you say a denari is worth compared to modern pounds or US dollars? This is what I've observed:
-One denari was treated as worthless by Grumio.
-Ten denari is often thrown around like it's not much at all.
-Twenty-five denari was enough to put a hit out on a gladiator.
-In "The Chariot" Stylax and Marcus acted like a hundred denari was a huge amount of money (enough to buy a charioteer's outfit).
-In "The New Slave," Stylax impulsively purchased a slave for eighty denari.
-Same episode, Stylax and Marcus gawked at Aurelius putting forty denari towards a gift for their boss.

Or maybe denari don't have any true value and the writers just do whatever they want. :P

[–] wcgcapone 8 years ago

The word denarius is derived from the Latin dēnī "containing ten", as its value was 10 asses, although in the middle of the 2nd century BC it was recalibrated so that it was now worth sixteen asses or four sestertii. In the time that Plebs is set the dinarius had 3.4 grams of silver per coin.

[–] wcgcapone 8 years ago

Based on today's price of 15.96USD per ounce of silver a dinaraius would have the metal worth 1.94USD.

It is difficult to give even rough comparative values for money from before the 20th century, as the range of products and services available for purchase was different. Classical historians often say that in the late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire (~27BC) the daily wage for an unskilled laborer and common soldier was 1 denarius (with no tax deductions) or about US$28 in bread. During the republic (509–27 BC),legionary (professional soldier) pay was 112.5 denarii per year (0.3/day), later doubled by Julius Caesar to 225 denarii (0.6/day), with soldiers having to pay for their own food and arms. Centurions received considerably higher pay; under Augustus, the lowest rank of centurion was paid 3,750 denarii and the highest rank, 15,000 denarii.

[–] alifeatthemovies 8 years ago

One denari is worth a go at the wall of glory.

[–] djb1203 8 years ago

i assumed it was basically £1. they wanted 3000 denari for the girls fine.... £3000 would seem to be the right equivalent. in most cases their atitude towards it was similar to a pound. thats why grumio didnt really care about 1 denari. and aurelius didnt really want to give up £40 for the present when he found out it was anonymous... especially when everyone else put in around a tenner... and considering their modern take on rome it seems logical they would also translate the currency into a modern equivalent.