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

PONDERA. PONDERA. 933
ject is the obvious remark that Pheidon must have These two standards form the foundation of the
arranged his standard of weights by that which whole system of Greek weights. But the second
had already been introduced into Greece by the received an important modification by the legiscommerce of the Phoenicians, namely, the Baby- lation of Solon; and this modification became,
lonian. under the name of the Attic silver talent, the chief
6. The Eubo'ic Talent. - In the foregoing re- standard of weight throughout the East of Europe,
marks, the Euboic talent has been continually and the West of Asia. m~e proceed to notice both
referred to as a standard with which to compare of the Attic standards.
the Babylonian. We have now to investigate 7. The Old Atlic Talent, aund the Solonican Taindependently its origin and value. The name lent. -We have already noticed, under NuraMMus
Es-uboic, like the name Aleinetan, is calculated to (p. 812, b.), Plutarch's account of the reduction
mislead, as we see in the absurd explanations effected by Solon in the Attic system of weights
by which some of the grammarians attempt to ac- and money, according to which the old weights
count for its origin. (See Nuvmaus, p. 810.) were to the new in the proportion of 100: 73.
That the name comes from the island of Euboea, An important additional light is thrown on this
and that the Euboic standard was not only used matter by an extant Athenian inscription, from
there, but was widely diffused thence by the Chal- which we obtain a more exact statement of the
cidic colonies, admits of no reasonable doubt; but ratio than in Plutarch's account, and from which
it is not very probable that the standard originated we also learn that the old system continued in use,
there. The most important testimony respecting long afterthe Solonian reduction, forall commodities,
it is the statement already quoted, that Dareius except such as were required bylaw to be weighed
reckoned the gold tribute of his satrapies in Euboic according to the other standard, which was also the
talents. (Herod. iii. 89, 95.) B/ckh (c. viii.) one always used for money, and is therefore called
thinks it incredible that the Persian king should the silver standard, the old system being called
have made this use of a Greek standard; and, the com7nercial standard, and its mina the comrnerbefore him, the best of all the writers on metro- cial zinz2a (,1 laa 77 iE/roplcK). The inscription,
logy, Raper, had acknowledged the Oriental origin which is a decree of uncertain date (about 01. 155,
of the standard. (Philos. Trans. vol. lxi. p. 486.) B. c. 160, according to Bickh, C. I. No. 123, ~ 4,
This view derives also some support from the vol. i. p. 164), mentions the commercial mina as
curious numerical relation already noticed between weighing "138 drachimae:'Ereavnljpopov, accordthe Babylonian and Euboic scales; which suggests ing to the standard weights in the mint" rARGYthe idea that the minae of the two scales may ROCOPEION], that is, ot course, 138 drachmae of
have been derived from the subdivision of the the silver, or Solonian, standard. This would give
same primary unit, in the one, into parts both the ratio of the old to the new Attic weights as
decimal and duodecimal, that is, sexagesimal (60), 138: 100, or 100: 7269, certainly a very curious
in the other, into parts purely duodecimal (72); proportion. It appears, however, on closer reand then, for the sake of uniformity, a talent of search, that this ratio is still not quite exact. It
the lattei scale was introduced, containing, like often happens that, in some obscure passage of a
the other, 60 mninae. Be this as it may, it call grammarian, we find a statement involving minute
be affirmed with tolerable safety that the Euboic details, so curious and so inexplicable, till the clue
talent is derived from a standard of weight used is found, that the few scholars who notice the
for gold, which existed in the East, in the earliest passage reject it as unintelligible, without conhistorical period, by the side of the Babylonian sidering that those strange minutiae are the best
standard, which was used chiefly for silver: that, evidence that the statement is no invention; and
at an early period, it was introduced by commerce that the gramnmarian, who copied the statement,
into Euboea, from which island it derived the without troubling himself to understand it, has
name by which it was known to the Greeks, ol preserved a fact, which more systematic writers
account of its diffusion by the commercial activity have lost or perverted. Such passages are grains
of the Euboeans, just as the Babylonian standard of pure gold amidst the mud which forms the bulk
obtained its Greek name from the commercial ac- of the deposit brought down to us by those writers.
tivity of the Aeginetans. (Comp. NUMIaus, 1. c.) A striking instance is now before us, in a passage
The examination of the testimonies respecting of Priscian (de Re Nleumm.) in which, following a
the value of this standard involves a discussion too certain Dardanus, he says: " Talentum Atheniense
intricate to be entered upon here, although it is parweens minae sexaginta. mnagnnum minae octingenta
one of the most interesting points of the whole sub- tres et unciae quattuor." Taking the last words
ject. We must be content to refer the reader to to be the Roman mode of expressing 83~, and asthe masterly argument of Bdckh (c. viii.), who comes suming, what is obvious, that the nzinae meant in
to the following conclusions: —that the Euboic the two clauses are of the same standard, namely,
standard was not, as some have thought, the same the common Attic or Solonian (for, as a general
as the Aeginetan; nor the same, or but slightly rule, this standard is to be understood, where no
different from, the Solonian Attic; but the same other is specified), and understanding by the great
as the old (ante-Solonian) Attic:- that its true Attic talent that of the conm7nercial standard, and
ratio to the Babylonian, or Aeginetan, was that by the small, the silver, or Solonian, we obtain this
given in round numbers by IHerodotus, as 60: 70, result, — that the ratio of'thle old Attic or conzmmercial
and in exact numbers by Aelian (who by Attic talent to the nezs Attic or Solonian, was as 83 —: 60,
means old Attic) as 60: 72, that is, 5: 6; and that or as 138::100, or as 100: 72. For the masterly
its ratio to the Solonian was, as will presently be argument by which Bickhl sustains the truth- of
shown, 25: 18. These views are confirmed, not this statement, we must refer to his own work:
only by the consistency of the results to which they (c. viii.). It is easy to understand how, inl-process
lead, but by the decisive evideince of the existing of time, the fraction came to be neglected, so that,
coins of the Euboic standard. [NUMMs.] in the decree quoted. the consmiercial mina of 100
3 o 3