Rome's collapse was fundamentally monetary in origin—the denarius was debased from nearly 95% silver purity under Augustus to less than 5% silver under Gallienus in the mid-3rd century, with emperors deliberately replacing silver with bronze to finance military spending against Germanic tribes and the Sassinid Persians.
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Unidentified Speaker — When Rome's Economy Collapsed, Only These 4 Assets Survived [SrPNp6MAXH0]Evidence Quote
“By the reign of Caracalla in the early 3rd century, the silver content of the denarius had fallen to roughly 50%...By the mid-3rd century under Emperor Gallienus...the denarius contained less than 5% silver. [1:34]”
Created: 8/12/2026, 5:58:43 PM
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