Lira is the name of several currency units. It is the current currency of Turkey and also the local name of the

currencies of Lebanon A currency, "in circulation", from la, currens, -entis, literally meaning "running" or "traversing" is a standardization of money in any form, in use or circulation as a medium of exchange, for example banknotes and coins. A more general def ...

and of

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

. It is also the name of several former currencies, including those of Italy, Malta and Israel. The term originates from the value of a Roman pound ( la, libra, about 329g, 10.58 troy ounces) of high purity silver. The

libra Libra generally refers to: * Libra (constellation), a constellation * Libra (astrology), an astrological sign based on the star constellation Libra may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Libra'' (novel), a 1988 novel by Don DeLillo Musi ...

was the basis of the monetary system of the Roman Empire. When Europe resumed a monetary system, during the Carolingian Empire, the Roman system was adopted. The Roman denominations ''librae'', ''solidi'', ''denarii'' were used (becoming known in England as £sd). Particularly this system was kept during the Middle Ages and

Modern Age The term modern period or modern era (sometimes also called modern history or modern times) is the period of history that succeeds the Middle Ages (which ended approximately 1500 AD). This terminology is a historical periodization that is applie ...

in England, France, and Italy. In each of these countries the ''libra'' was translated into local language:

pound Pound or Pounds may refer to: Units * Pound (currency), a unit of currency * Pound sterling, the official currency of the United Kingdom * Pound (mass), a unit of mass * Pound (force), a unit of force * Rail pound, in rail profile Symbols * Po ...

in England, livre in France, ''lira'' in Italy. The

Venetian lira The lira (plural ''lire'') was the distinct currency of Venice until 1848, when it was replaced by the Italian lira. It originated from the Carolingian monetary system used in much of Western Europe since the 8th century CE, with the ''lira'' subd ...

was one of the currencies in use in Italy and due to the economic power of the Venetian Republic a popular currency in the Eastern Mediterranean trade. During the 19th century, the Ottoman Empire and the

Eyalet of Egypt The Eyalet of Egypt (, ) operated as an administrative division of the Ottoman Empire from 1517 to 1867. It originated as a result of the conquest of Mamluk Egypt by the Ottomans in 1517, following the Ottoman–Mamluk War (1516–17) and the a ...

adopted the ''lira'' as their national currency, equivalent to 100 piasters or kuruş. When the Ottoman Empire collapsed in years 1918–1922, many among the successor states kept the lira as their national currency. In some countries, such as Cyprus, which have belonged to both the Ottoman Empire and the British Empire, the words ''lira'' and ''

'' are used interchangeably.

Lira sign

For the Turkish lira, the Turkish lira sign () is used. The Lebanese lira uses (before numerals) or (after numerals) in Latin and in Arabic. The Syrian lira uses (before numerals) or (after numerals) in Latin and in Arabic. The Italian lira had no official sign, but the abbreviations and and the symbols (two bars), (one bar) were all commonly used. The Maltese lira used before 1986 and thereafter (both as prefixes), though £M continued to be used in unofficial capacities. The Unicode system allocated to the Lira, to provide compatibility with a legacy HP character set. As with , where the one-bar and the two-bar versions are treated as allographs and the choice between them is merely stylistic, no evidence has been found that either style predominated in Italy or anywhere else.

Current uses

Turkey

The Turkish lira was introduced in 1844 during the Ottoman reign. The Turkish lira is now the currency of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and used in Turkish-occupied northern Syria.

Lebanon and Syria

The Lebanese pound and

Syrian pound The Syrian pound or lira ( ar, الليرة السورية, al-līra as-sūriyya; abbreviation: LS or SP in Latin, ل.س in Arabic, historically also £S, and £Syr; ISO code: SYP) is the currency of Syria. It is issued by the Central Bank o ...

are both called "lira" () in Arabic, the national language of both Lebanon and Syria.

Historic use

Italy

The lira was the currency of Italy from its unification until it was merged into the euro in 1999. A unit of currency lira had previously been used in some of the states and possessions that became Italy but their values were not necessarily equivalent. (See

Luccan lira The lira (plural: ''lire'') was the currency of the Republic of Lucca until 1800 and again of the Duchy of Lucca between 1826 and 1847. It was subdivided into 20 '' soldi'', each of 3 ''quattrini'' or 12 ''denari''. History The lira circulated un ...

, Papal lira,

Parman lira The lira (plural: ''lire'') was the distinct currency of Parma before 1802 and again from 1815 to 1859. History First lira The Duchy of Parma issued its own currency until it was annexed to France in 1802. This lira was subdivided into 20 ''soldi ...

Sardinian lira The lira (plural ''lire'') was the currency of the Kingdom of Sardinia between August 6, 1816, and March 17, 1861. It was subdivided into 100 ''centesimi'' (singular ''centesimo'') and was equal in value to the French franc (4.5 grams of silver), ...

and Tuscan lira.)

Former currencies named lira

* Cypriot lira/pound 1879–2007; merged into the euro, 2008 * French livre 781–1794; became the French franc * Israeli lira/pound 1948–1980; replaced by the old shekel in 1980. * Italian lira 1861–2002; merged into the euro, 1999 (notes and coins from 2002) * Italian East African lira 1938–1941; supplanted by the East African shilling * Italian Somaliland lira 1925–1926; replaced by the Italian East African lira *

until 1800 and 1826–1847; merged into the Italian lira * Maltese lira 1825–2007; merged into the euro, 2008 * Neapolitan lira 1812–1813; merged into the Italian lira * Ottoman lira 1844–1923; became the Turkish lira * Papal lira 1866–1870; became the Vatican lira at par with the Italian lira *

before 1802 and 1815–1859; merged into the Italian lira * Sammarinese lira 1860s–2002; merged into the euro *

1816–1861; merged into the Italian lira *

Tripolitanian lira The lira (, plural: ''lire'', abbreviation: MAL), officially known as the Military Authority Lira, was the currency of the British zone of occupation (later Mandate Territory) in Libya between 1943 and 1951, and of the province of Tripolitania un ...

1943–1951; replaced by the Libyan pound * Tuscan lira until 1807 and 1814–1826; merged into the Italian lira *

Vatican lira The lira (plural ''lire''; abbreviation: VAL) was the currency of the Vatican City between 1929 and 2002. It was not a separate currency but an issue of the Italian lira; the Banca d'Italia produced coins specifically for Vatican City. History T ...

1929–2002; merged into the euro *

1472–1807; merged into the Italian lira

References

External links

Overview of Italian lira from the BBC
{{coord, 2, 14, N, 32, 54, E, type:city_source:kolossus-rowiki, display=title Currencies of Europe Currencies of Italy Currencies of Malta Currencies of San Marino Currencies of Vatican City