Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

AES. AES. 25
lores aerarli Scatrni in inscriptions under Hadrian some ancient coins of Corinth; a very ancient
and Severus. (Gudius, Ant. Inscr. p. 125. n. 6. p. 131. Greek helmet, on which is a boustrophedon inn. 3; Gruter, p. 1027, n. 4.) These praefects had scription, now in the British Museum; portions of
jurisdiction; and before their court in the temple the breastplates of a piece of armour called the
of Saturn, all informations were laid respecting Bronzes of Siris, also preserved in our national colproperty due to the aerarium and fiscus. (Plin. lection; and an antique sword found in France,
Paneg. 36; Dig. 49. tit. 14. ss. 13, 15.) produced in 100 parts,
-The aerarium snilitare was under the care of 87'43 and 88 copper
distinct praefects, who were first appointed by lot 12-53 and 12 tin
from among those who had filled the office of - -
praetor, but were afterwards nominated by the 99'96 100
emperor. (Dion. Cass. lv. 25; comp. Tac. Ann. At a later period than that to which some of the
v. 8.) They frequently occur in inscriptions under above works may be referred, the addition of a
the title of praseficti aerarii nzilitaris. (Walter, variety of metals seems to have been made to the
Geschicl7te des R7szischlen Rechts, pp. 201, &c., 397, original combination of copper and tin. The writers
&c. 2d edition; Lipsius, ad Tac. Ann. xiii. 29.) on art make particular mention of certain of these
AES (XaAXo's). These words signify both bronzes which, notwithstanding the changes they
pure copper and a composition of metals, in which underwvent by the introduction of novel elements,
copper is the predominant ingredient. In the were still described by the words XaExcds and aes.
latter sense they should not be translated brass, That which appears to have held the first place in
but rather bronze. Brass is a combination of copper the estimation of the ancients was the aes Corintiliand zinc, while all the specimens of ancient objects aczu2, which some pretended was an alloy made acf)rmed of the compound material called aes, are cidentally, in the first instance, by the melting and
found upon analysis to contain no zinc; but, with running together of various metals (especiallygold
very limited exceptions, to be composed entirely of and bronze), at the burning of Corinth by Lucius
copper and tin, which mixture. is properly called TMAIIummius, in B. C. 146. (Plin. H.N. xxxiv. 2. s. 3;
bronze. Our chief information about the copper Florus, ii. 16.) This account is obviously incorand bronze of the ancients is derived from Pliny rect, as some of the artists whose productions
(H-1. N. xxxiv.). Copper, being one of the most are mentioned as composed of this highly valued
abundant and generally distributed of the metals, nmetal, lived long before the event alluded to.
was naturally used at a very early period by the Pliny (I. c.) particularises three classes of the CoGreeks and Romans. Pliny (H. AN. xxxiv. 1) rinthian bronze. The first, he says, was white
mentions three of its ores (lapides aerosi), namely, (cacndidsun), the greater proportion of silver that
cadneicd, cl/alcitis, and autriclalcaum or or'icolAlcaun, was employed in its composition giving it a light
into the exact nature of which this is not the place colour. In the second sort or quality, gold was into inquire. troduced, in sufficient quantity to impart to the
In the most ancient times we can ascend to, the mixture a strong yellow or gold tint. The third
chief supply came from Cyprus, whence the modern was composed of equal portions of the different
name of copper is said to be derived. (Comp. Hom. metals. Some, however, contend that the ces
Odys. i. 184, and Nitzsch's Note; Plin. tI. N. vii. Corintaicczsnn was no composition of precious metals
56. s. 57); but according to an old tradition it at all, but merely a very pure and highly refined
was first found in Euboea, and the town of Chcalcis bronze. (Fiorillo, in the Ksunstblatt, 1832, No.
took its name from a copper-mine. (Plin. IH.. 97.) The next bronze of note among the ancient
iv. 12. s. 21.) It was also found in Asia and the Greek sculptors is distinguished by the title of
south of Italy, in Gaul, in the mountains of Spain bUepatizon, which it seems it acquired from its
(comp. Pans. vi. 19. ~ 2), and in the Alps. The colour, which bore some resemblance to that of the
art of smelting the ore was perfectly familiar to the liver (Mrrap). Pliny says that it was inferior to
Greeks of Homer's time. (Comp. Hesiod. Tldeog. the Corinthian bronze, but was greatly preferred
861-866.) to the mixtures of Delos and Aegina, which, for a
The abundance of copper sufficiently accounts for long period, had the highest reputation. The colour
its general use among the ancients; money, vases, of the bronze called hepatizon must have been vern
and utensils of all sorts, whether for domestic or similar to that of the cinque cento bronzes - a dull
sacrificial purposes, ornaments, arms offensive and reddish brown. Before the invention of these sorts
defensive, furniture, tablets for inscriptions, musical of bronze, the first in order of celebrity was the
instruments, and indeed every object to which it ees Deliacumn. Its reputation was so great that
could be applied, being made of it. (Hesiod, Op. the island of Delos became the mart to which all
et Di. 150, 151; Lucret. v. 1286.) We have a who required works of art in metal crowded, and
remarkable result of this fact in the use of XaAeEds led, in time, to the establishment there of some of
and XaX;ccemev, where working in iron is meant. the greatest artists of antiquity. (Plin. I. c. 2. s. 4.)
(Homn. Od. ix. 391; Aristot. PoSt. 25.) For all Next to the Delian, or rather in competition
these purposes the pure metal would -be com- with it, the aes Aegineticumn was esteemed. No
paratively useless, some alloy being necessary both metal was produced naturally in Aegina; but the
to harden it and to make it more fusible. Ac- founders and artists there were most skilful in
cordingly, the origin of the art of mixing copper their composition of bronze. The distinguished
and tin is lost in the mythological period, being sculptors, Myron and Polycleitus, not only vied
ascribed to the Idaean Dactyli The proportions with one another in producing the finest works of
in which the component parts were mixed seemed art, but also in the choice of the bronze they used.
to have been much studied, and it is remarkable Myron preferred the Delian, while Polycleitus
how nearly they agree in all the specimens that adopted the Aeginetan mixture. (Plin. H. NV.
have been analysed. Some bronze nails from the xxxiv. 2. s. 5.) From a passage in Plutarch it
ruins of the Treasury of Atreas at Myceneo; has been supposed that this far-famed Delian