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

v750 MENSARII. IENSURA.
vention of the onoolpocdium, a round tablle (orbis) time when the plebeians were so deeply involved
stupparted by a single foot; this, with other in debt, that they were obliged to borrow money
elegant kinds of furniture, was introduced into from new creditors in order to pay the old ones,
Rome from Asia Minor by Cn. Manlius. (Plin. and thus ruined themselves completely. (Liv. vii.
11.N. xxxiv. 8.) Under the Rolman emperors semi.- 21; compare FENUS (ROMAN) and ARCGENcircular tables were introduced, called ssenesae TARI.) On this occasion they were also autholmraltae from comparing them to the half-moon, and rized to ordain that cattle or land should be resiioatae, because they had the form of that letter, ceived as payment at a fair valuation. Such bankers
C. (Lamprid. Ietl. 25, 29.) This lunate table were appointed at Rome at various times and
was surrounded by a sofa of the same form, called whenever debts weighed heavily upon the people,
stibadiuzm, which was adapted to hold seven or but with the exception of the first time they apeight persons. (Mart. x. 48, xiv. 87.) pear during the time of the republic to have always
As the table was not very large, as we see from been triumviri mensarii. (Liv. xxiii. 21, xxvi. 36.)
the preceding cut, it was usual to place the dishes One class of mensarii, however (perhaps an inferior
and the various kinds of meat upon it, and then to order), the mensuslsrii or nuimuaerii, seem to have
bring it thus furnished to the place where the been permanently employed by the state, and
guests were reclining: hence such phrases as zmen- these must be meant when we read that not only
samc a7pponere or opponere (Plaut. Asian. v. 1. 2, the aerarium but also private individuals deposited
iMfost. i. 3. 150; Cic. ad. Alt. xiv. 21; Ovid, Vliet. in their hands sums of money which they had to
viii. 570), and mi2ensCam acGferre or remC7overe. (Plant. dispose of. (Tacit. Anncl. vi. 17; Dig. 16. tit. 3.
4A sphit. ii. 2. 175; Virg. Aesn. i. 21 6.) As the s. 7; 42. tit. 5. s. 24.) As Rome must have often
board of the table is called by a distinct name been visited by great numbers of strangers, these
ri'0m71ta (Athen. 1. c.; Pollux, x. 81), it appears public bankers had also, for a certain percentage,
that it was very frequently made separate from the to exchange foreign money and give Roman coinage
tripod or other stand (KltXMCas) on which it was instead, and also to examine all kinds of coins
fixed. whether they were of the proper metal and geAmong the Greeks the tables were not covered nuine or not. (Dig. 46. tit. 3. s. 39.) During the
with cloths at meals, but were cleansed by the time of the empire such permanent mensarii were
use of wet sponges (Hom. Od. i. 111, xx. 151; under the control of the praefectus urbi and formed
Mart. xiv. 144), or of fragrant herbs. (Ovid. Met. a distinct corporation. (Dig. 1. tit. 12. s. 1; Cod.
viii. 665.) The Romans used for the same pur- Theod. 16. tit. 4. s. 5.)
pose a thick cloth with a long woolly nap (gau- Bankers appointed by the state also existed in
sape, Hor. I. c.; Heindorf in loc.) other ancient towns, and Cicero (pro Flacc. 19)
Under the influence of the ideas of hospitality, mentions mensarii at Temnos in Asia Minor who
which have prevailed universally in the primitive were appointed by the people. [L. S.]
states in society, the table was considered sacred, MENSIS. [CALENDARIUM.]
(Juv. ii. 110.) Small statues of the godt were:MENSO'RES, measurers or surveyors. This
placed upon it. (Arnob. contra Gentes, lib..ii.) On name was applied to various classes of persons
this account Hercules was worshipped under the whose occupation was the measurement of things.
title rpaer/eCos and E7rtrpa7rECios. T-e Cretans 1. It was applied to land-surveyors who menate in public; and in the upper part of their sured and defined the extent of fields, and appear
Uvs3pe7lo, or public dining-room, there was a con- to have been the same as the agrimensores. (Column.
stant table set apart for strangers, and another v. 1; compare ACIIMENSO1t:ES.)
sacred to Jupiter, called'rpasrea (evla, or Alos 2. To persons who measured in the Roman
(t'vlou. (Athen. iv. 22; HLick's Kretsa, vol. iii. camps the space to be occupied by the tents. They
)pp. 120-128.) must be distinguished from the metatores, who
The two principal courses of a ae77rsvov and coena, selected the place for a camp. (Veget. de Re lilit.
or a Greek and Roman dinner, were called respect- ii. 7.)
ively srpcWr- srpdsreta, Ea'T.epa srpaena, and 1rOeisa 3. To a class of officers during the time of the
prilza, omecsa seczlnda. [CoENA.] empire who provided quarters for the soldiers in
The name of Tpdnrea or snensa was given to a the towns through which they passed and where
square tomb-stone (Becker, C/lariles, vol. ii. they made a temporary stay. They not only aspp. 191, 193) [FuNuS, p. 556, b.]; and the se s signred to each soldier the house in which lie was
name was also given to square altars. Every curia to be quartered, but also wrote the name of the ocat Rome had an altar, called ozessa, which was cupant upon the door-post, and he who effaced or
sacred to Juno Curitis. (Dionys. ii. 50; Festus, destroyed this name was punished as a failsi renus.
lip. 49, 64, 1]56, ed Miiller; Macrob. Sat. iii. 11; (Cod. Theod. 7. tit. 8. s. 4.)
Becker, R6mi. Alterth. vol. ii. pt. i. p. 34.) [J. Y.] 4. Mensor aedificiorum is sometimes applied to
MIENSA'RII, MENSULA'RII, or NUMU- architects, Or more especially to such architects as
L.A'RII, were a kind of public bankers at Rome conducted the erection of public buildinlgs, the
who were appointed by the state; they were dis- plans of which had been drawn up by other architinct from the argentarii, who were comnlon tects. (Plin. Eist. x. 28 and 29.)
blacilkers and did business on their own account. 5. Mensores frumentarii was the name of officers
(Dig. 2. tit. 13. s. 6.) The mensarii had their who had to measure the corn which was conveyed
banks (cseczsae) like ordinary bankers around the up the Tiber for the public granaries. (Dig. 27.
forum, and in the name of the aerariuni they of- tit. 1. s. 26; Cod. Theod. 14. tit, 9. s. 9; and
fered ready money to debtors who could sgive se- tit. 15. s. 1.) They were stationed in the port
curity to the state for it. Such an expediency near Ostia, and were employed under thepraefectlls
weas devised by the state only in times of great aneonae. Their name is mentioned in various
distress. Thee first tine that mienssarii (qttieqrciri ancient inscrihptions. [L. S.]
lmousaerii) we:ee appointed was ini 352 a. c., at the MENSU'RA (.l.Epov), cmeasure, in its widest