History thumb|300px|Starting with Nero in 64 AD, the Romans continuously debased their silver coins until, by the end of the 3rd century AD, hardly any silver was left. A predecessor of the denarius was first struck in 269 or 268 BC, five years before the First Punic War,A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, William Smith, D.C.l., LL, D., John Murray, London 1875, pp. 393, 394. with an average weight of 6.81 grams, or of a Roman pound. Contact with the Greeks had prompted a need for silver coinage in addition to the bronze currency that the Romans were using at that time. This predecessor of the denarius was a Greek-styled silver coin of didrachm weight, which was struck in Neapolis and other Greek cities in southern Italy. These coins were inscribed with a legend that indicated that they were struck for Rome, but in style they closely resembled their Greek counterparts. They were rarely seen at Rome, to judge from finds and hoards, and were probably used either to buy supplies or to pay soldiers.
History thumb|300px|Starting with Nero in 64 AD, the Romans continuously debased their silver coins until, by the end of the 3rd century AD, hardly any silver was left A predecessor of the denarius was first struck in 269 or 268 BC, five years before the First Punic WarA Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, William Smith, D.C.l., LL D., John Murray, London 1875, pp. 393, 394. with an average weight of 6.81 grams, or of a Roman pound. Contact with the Greeks had prompted a need for silver coinage in additio,n to the bronze currency that the Romans wer,e using at that time. This predecessor of the denarius was a Greek-styled silver coin of didrachm weight, which was struck in Neapolis and other Greek cities in southern Italy. These coins were inscribed with a legend that indicated that they were struck for Rome, but in style they closely resembled their Greek counterparts. They were rarely seen at Rome, to judge from finds and hoards, and were probably used either to buy supplies or to p.ay soldiers.