Prices in ancient Rome

We see often Roman coins in the museums, but what was possible to buy with them? In Pompei we found prices lists on the walls of shops and in other documents. Before to see some examples of prices, let's see the different values of each coin.

1 silver denarius = 4 sestertii = 16 Asses
1 aureus = 25 denari

Here there are some examples of prices in Pompei in the year 79:

6,5 kg of flour          = 1 silver denarius
1 kg of bread            = 2 asses
1/2 liter of wine       = 1 as
1 plate                        = 2 asses
1 prostitute service = 8 asses
1 oil lamp                  = 2 asses
1 tunic/toga               = 3 denarii
1 donkey                    = 125 denarii
1 slave                        = 625 denarii

A simple Roman soldier earned about 225 denarii in one year (plus the spoils of war). For the same historical period it has been calculated that the annual requirement of food for a 4 persons family was about 190 denarii (800 kg of flour, 68 liters of oil and 400 liters of wine).