The introduction of currency to the Maghreb

The Maghreb and Carthage

Trade in the Maghreb was established on the basis of barter. The use of money did not show to be necessary. It was only towards the end of the fifth century BC that Carthage started coining money.

Carthage, Punic Octodrachma,241-146 BC., silver.

Thanks to their African trading posts, closely linked to the Mediterranean trade, Numidia (present-day Algeria) and Mauritania (present-day Morocco) were initiated to currency. The Punic city (Tunisia), was, in fact, jealously ensuring the conservation of its monetary monopoly, denying its coastal cities of the Maghreb the right to coin money to.

Using Punic coins, in the first place, for their exchanges, Numidians did not coin their own silver and bronze money until the end of the third century BC.

Numidia, Juba I, denarii,60-46 BC, silver.

The coinage of the kingdom of Mauritania

The first coins of Mauritania date back to the dynasty of Bocchus.

After the Bocchus Dynasty, the rule of Juba II was marked by abundant currency issuing, mainly in silver and bronze, featuring Greek and African symbols. Moreover, his reign was marked by the coinage of a unique Aureus in the name of the REX IVba and his wife KΛΕΟΠΑΤRA BA (Cleopatra ba).

Juba II & Cleopatra Aureus,25 BC - 23 AD, gold.

The issuance of silver, bronze and exceptionally gold coins continued under the reign of Ptolemy until his death in 40 AD. Mauritania was then annexed to the Roman Empire and divided into two provinces: Tingitane Mauritania (corresponding to the North of present-day Morocco) and Cesarean Mauritania (Current Algeria).

Ptolemy  denarii,23-40 AD, silver.

Morocco under the Roman occupation

Like the other North African region, Tingitane Mauritania was led by a procurator directly dependent on the Roman emperor.

During this period, the Roman coinage was circulating in Tingitane Mauritania. It consists mainly of gold Aureus, silver Denarii and multiple bronze coins issued from the different workshops of the Empire.

Augustus, Denarii, 27 BC- 14 AD. Silver
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