Download What did the Romans use as money?

Notes for teachers
Key Stage 2: What did the Romans use as
money?
About this session
By handling numerous objects and coins, students will have the opportunity to explore
how the Romans developed a monetary system and identify similarities and
differences with modern money. Themes around money and the role of it in society
will also be considered. The session will be based in a Clore Education Centre
classroom and Room 68: The Citi Money Gallery.
The Museum would very much appreciate it if students attending could wash and dry
their hands before the session to help conserve the handling objects. We also
recommend that students wash their hands after the session, particularly if they go
straight into their lunch break.
Session outline
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The session begins by exploring various items used as money before and
during the Roman Empire.
An interactive session will follow considering the development of Roman
coinage.
Students will then participate in modern money object handling drawing out
key themes concerning money, such as portability, durability and value.
The session then moves to Room 68: The Citi Money Gallery to explore the
roles of money in society.
Back in the Clore Education Centre classroom the students will work on an
activity relating money with worth and consider the notion of saving.
Key themes of the session are citizenship, history of money, money in
cultures, money in society, Roman money, value, worth
Key vocabulary includes coin, counterfeit, currency, durability, money,
obverse (coin front), portability, reverse (coin back), worth, value
Preparing for your session
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No specific preparation is required; key themes and vocabulary will be
explored in the session.
Notes for teachers
Following up your session
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Reflecting on the session, students could design their own Roman or modern
money.
Students could keep a diary of where they see money being used.
Students could create a savings plan for an item they want.
Students could collect interesting coin designs they see, for example on the
reverse of 50p coins, and create a display.
Find out more about the objects in Room 68: The Citi Money Gallery at
www.britishmuseum.org/money
Ask students to research Roman Treasure on ‘Museum Explorer’ in the
Discover section of our children’s website Young Explorers
www.britishmuseum.org/youngexplorers
Galleries with related objects
Room 68: The Citi Money Gallery
Room 49: Roman Britain, showing the Hoxne Hoard
Room 70: Roman Empire
Room 22: The world of Alexander, showing Hellenistic coins
Room 33: China, South Asia and South East Asia
Room 34: The Islamic world
Room 73: Greeks in Italy
Curriculum links
From the Key Stage 2 History curriculum, in addition to the Roman Empire links,
students will have the opportunity to recognise that money can be used to represent
the past; appreciate the chronological development of money and explore the social
and cultural aspects of money.
References will be made to the Key Stage 2 Mathematics curriculum for reading large
numbers and the use of two decimal places in modern British money.
The session also highlights global diversity as part of the Citizenship and PSHE
programme, as well as introducing the concepts of worth and saving.