Triens

This article is about the Roman coin valued at a third of an as. For the later coin valued at a third of a solidus, see Tremissis.

Rome. Circa 241-235 BC. Æ Aes grave Triens (107.00 g)

Triens: O/ Minerva, four pellets above; R/ prow of a galley left, four pellets below

The triens (pl. trientes) was an ancient Roman bronze coin produced during the Roman Republic valued at one-third of an as (4 unciae).^[1] While earlier cast specimens date as far back as the emergence of the Aes Grave around 280 BC,^[2] a new, lighter triens was first struck as part of a family of fractional bronze coins including semis, quadrans, sextans and uncia with the introduction of the Denarian System of Roman currency around 211 BC.^[1] The most common design for the triens featured the bust of Minerva and four pellets (indicating four unciae) on the obverse and the prow of a galley on the reverse.^[1] Minting of new Roman republican bronzes, including the triens, slowed throughout the second and first centuries BC,^[3] ceasing altogether by the late 80's BC.^[2]

Later, in Frankish Gaul, the term "triens" was often used for the tremissis, since both terms meant "a third".^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Roman currency

References

1. Sear, David R. (2000). "ROMAN REPUBLICAN COINAGE, CIRCA 280–41 BC". jstor.org. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
2. Sear, David R. (2014). "THE DENOMINATIONS OF THE ROMAN COINAGE". jstor.org. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
3. Howgego, Christopher (1992). "The Supply and Use of Money in the Roman World 200 B.C. to A.D. 300". jstor.org. Retrieved 2026-01-06.