Legal Definitions - monetagium

Definition: Monetagium (mon-uh-tay-jee-uhm) is a legal term that refers to the right to coin money or mintage. It can also refer to a tribute paid by a tenant to a lord to prevent a change in coinage.

Example 1: In ancient Rome, the emperor had the monetagium, or the exclusive right to mint coins. This allowed the emperor to control the money supply and regulate the economy.

Example 2: In medieval Europe, lords would sometimes demand a monetagium from their tenants. This was a payment made in exchange for the lord not changing the coinage, which could lead to inflation and economic instability.

These examples illustrate how monetagium was used in different historical contexts. In ancient Rome, the monetagium was a tool of political power, while in medieval Europe, it was a way for lords to extract tribute from their tenants. In both cases, monetagium was closely tied to the control of money and the regulation of the economy.