Julius Ceasar raids Britain

In his account of his raids Caesar notes scrornfully that the Britons still used sword blades as currency.

Reign of Augustus Caesar

Augustus reforms the Roman monetary and taxation systems issuing new, almost pure gold and silver coins, and new brass and copper ones.

2^nd Punic War between Rome and Carthage

Because of the enormous demand for coins to pay troops the Roman rulers debased their coinage in purity and weight, causing inflation.

Regular issues of silver coins are minted by the Romans

This was the birth of the denar, one of the world‘s lead currencies.

The aes signatum or bronze bars are still commonly used as currency in Rome.

Empire of the Ptolemies in Egypt

Reign of Alexander the Great

During the conquest of Asia Minor the cost of maintaining Alexander‘s army reaches about 20 talents or half a ton of silver a day, but later enormous quantities of Persian bullion are captured. The coining of the previously stagnant Persian gold stocks and payment to Alexander‘s soldiers, many of whom settled in new towns founded by him, give an enormous stimulus to trade throughout the empire.

Normal rate of interest in Greece is 10% except for risky business

According to Demosthenes 10% is the normal rate of interest for general business.

Reign of Philip II of Macedonia

Philip unites Greece and Macedonia. During his reign he deliberately mints far more coins than required for the immediate needs of his kingdrom, probably to support the campaign against Persia that he was planning. Among these coins is the golden stater celebrating his triumph in the chariot race in the Olympics in 356 BC. These staters were widely circulated among the Celts of central and northern Europe whose earliest coins were copies of Philip‘s.

Sparta captures the Laurion Mines

Sparta releases 20,000 slaves from the mines and cuts off supplies of silver to Athens.

Battle of Salamis

Greek civilization is saved by the victory of the Athenian fleet over the Persians.