ENGLISH

Weights, Measures and Tokens.

By Lang , M. , M. Crosby

Book information

Publisher
The American School of Classical Studies at Athens
Year
1964
ISBN
978-0-87661-210-1
Language
english
Format
PDF
Filesize
31 MB (32041706 bytes)
Series
The Athenian Agora: Results of Excavations Conducted by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens volume 10
Pages
190\190
Topic
History Archaeology
Time added
2013-03-07 00:57:06

Description

The first part of this book deals with weights (14 bronze, 109-111 lead, 28 stone) and measures (75 dry, 28-31 liquid). Although humble objects, the detailed study of these everyday items provides archaeological evidence for substantial changes in weight standards at different times in Athenian history. This reinforces literary evidence for a highly centralized bureaucracy controlling trade and commerce. In the second part of the book, Crosby catalogues and discusses some 900 lead and 46 clay tokens uncovered during the Agora excavations. The bulk of the lead material dates from the Roman period, while all the clay pieces belong to the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd centuries B.C. These tokens served diverse functions. Some were used as admission tickets for festivals and theater performances while others can be related to attendance at lawcourts or receipt of tax payments.

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