(Jan 21, 2012)
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| Reference | Köln 1082 | Diameter 35mm
Bronze Hemidrachm 28mm (12.77 grams) of Alexandria in Egypt
Pharos was a small island just off the coast of the Nile Delta 's western edge
The Lighthouse on coins minted in Alexandria in the second century (1: reverse of a coin of Antoninus Pius , and 2: reverse of a coin of Commodus )
The height they give varies only fifteen per cent from c 103 to 118m [338' to 387'], on a base c. 30 by 30m [98' by 98'] square
It was described at length in the Zhufan Zhi (諸蕃志, "Records of Foreign Peoples") by Zhao Rugua (1170–1228), a Chinese customs inspector for the port city of Quanzhou during the Song Dynasty
This problem also led to the narrowing of the width of the wall, from the original 12 feet to 7, saving masonry
A silver denarius was supposed to weigh about 4.5 grams, valued at ten grams, with the silver sestertius valued at two and one-half grams
In or about 23 BC, with the coinage reform of Augustus , the denomination of sestertius was introduced as the large brass denomination
The sestertius was produced as the largest brass denomination until the late 3rd century AD
The brass sestertius typically weighs in the region of 25 to 28 grammes, is around 32–34 mm in diameter and about 4 mm thick
A loaf of bread cost roughly half a sestertius, and a sextarius (~0.5 liter) of wine anywhere from less than half to more than 1 sestertius
One modius (6.67 kg) of wheat in 79 AD Pompeii cost 7 sestertii, of rye 3 sestertii, a bucket 2 sestertii, a tunic 15 sestertii, a donkey 500 sestertii
The reverse depicts the emperor on horseback with a companion
Sestertii are highly valued by numismatists , since their large size gave caelatores (engravers) a large area in which to produce detailed portraits and reverse types
The brutally realistic portraits of this emperor, and the elegant reverse designs, greatly impressed and influenced the artists of the Renaissance
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