Æ Uncia

The Brettii — the Bruttians of the Italian toe — struck this uncia during the years they held de facto control of much of Calabria and Lucania as allied partners of Hannibal. After Rome's catastrophic defeat at Cannae in 216 BC, the Bruttians defected and began issuing an independent coinage to pay troops and administer territory. By 208 BC, Roman reconquest was tightening, and this series was running out of time. The Bruttian state ceased to exist as an issuing authority not long after, and its bronze coinage was effectively demonetized by Roman fiat.