The expansion of the Roman Republic brought about a revolution in the monetary history of the Mediterranean. At the beginning of the Hellenestic period there was no coinage at Rome and a wide variety elsewhere; by the time of Augustus not only was the whole of the Mediterranean world under Roman rule, but most of it was taxed by rome and used the Roman mnetary system and Roman coinage. In this authoritative work, Michael Crawford traces the history of Roman coinage and the spread in its use within the context of the economy and society of the time. Micahel Crawford's is the first history of the Roman Republican monetary system in its Mediterranean context . It wil be welcomed by historians, numismatists, and collectores alike.