BRONZE - 1721, "alloy of copper and tin," from Fr. bronze, from It. bronzo, 
from M.L. bronzium. Perhaps cognate (via notion of color) with Venetian 
bronza "glowing coals," or Ger. brunst "fire." Perhaps influenced by L. 
Brundisium the It. town of Brindisi (Pliny writes of aes Brundusinum). 
Perhaps ultimately from Pers. birinj "copper." In M.E., the distinction 
between bronze (copper-tin alloy) and brass (copper-zinc alloy) was not 
clear, and both were called bras.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "geoff carver" <[log in to unmask]>

does anyone happen to know when "brass" began to be labelled "bronze" (or 
did the Romans actually have brass coins? I have a lot of Victorian & 
earlier references to things being made of "brass" that i'm sure must be 
bronze)