Ancient Rome was like a huge toy store that never stopped getting new toys, but it also had to pay for everything.
Coins were like the play money kids use at recess. Romans used coins made of gold, silver, or copper, and they would trade them just like you trade your lunch tickets with friends.
How They Got Money
Rome got its money from a few places:
- The army brought back treasures after battles, it was like winning a big game and getting extra snacks.
- The tax collectors took some coins from people in the cities and countryside, kind of like how your parents take some money from your piggy bank to buy you ice cream.
How They Spent Money
Romans spent their coins on:
- Buildings, like huge public baths or theaters, it was like building a giant playground.
- Food for everyone, even the poor, it was like having free pizza every day for weeks.
- Wages for soldiers and workers, it was like getting an allowance for doing chores.
Sometimes, they ran out of coins and had to print more, just like when you run out of play money and have to write new numbers on paper. Ancient Rome was like a huge toy store that never stopped getting new toys, but it also had to pay for everything.
Coins were like the play money kids use at recess. Romans used coins made of gold, silver, or copper, and they would trade them just like you trade your lunch tickets with friends.
How They Got Money
Rome got its money from a few places:
- The army brought back treasures after battles, it was like winning a big game and getting extra snacks.
- The tax collectors took some coins from people in the cities and countryside, kind of like how your parents take some money from your piggy bank to buy you ice cream.
How They Spent Money
Romans spent their coins on:
- Buildings, like huge public baths or theaters, it was like building a giant playground.
- Food for everyone, even the poor, it was like having free pizza every day for weeks.
- Wages for soldiers and workers, it was like getting an allowance for doing chores.
Sometimes, they ran out of coins and had to print more, just like when you run out of play money and have to write new numbers on paper.
Examples
- A child uses clay tablets to count coins like a Roman merchant.
- A soldier gets paid in copper coins called 'as'.
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See also
- How Does Taxes 101 (Tax Basics 1/3) Work?
- How Does Ancient Rome’s Voting System Compare to Modern Democracy?
- How Did Ancient Rome Pay for its Expansive Empire?
- How Did Ancient Rome Fund Its Massive Public Projects?
- What are banks?