Weights, Measures, and Tokens

190 Pages·2008·51.75 MB·English

THE ATHENIANAG ORA
RESULTS OF EXCAVATIONS
CONDUCTED BY
THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL STUDIES AT ATHENS
VOLUME X

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THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL STUDIES AT ATHENS
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
1964
American School of Classical Studies at Athens
is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve, and extend access to
The Athenian Agora ®
www.jstor.org
PUBLISHED WITH THE AID OF A GRANT FROM MR. JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER, JR.

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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PRINTED IN GERMANY atJ.J. AUGUSTIN GLOCKSTADT
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PART I
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s e WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
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PREFACE

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h During the twenty odd years of the Agora Excavations a few of the weights and measures
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A -have received passing notice in the annual reports, and one measure was fully published by
t CMargaretC rosby (Hesperia, XVIII, 1949, pp. 108-113). Some preliminaryw ork on the weights
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and measures was done in the early years by Rodney S. Young and Margaret Crosby, to both
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e Yof whom I am grateful for many helpful suggestions.
di B The object of the present study is to include all the metrological material from the Agora
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u Cwhich is sufficiently defined by context or by its own form to give some indication of standard
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S Cand use. Bronze and lead weights are dealt with in the same section since both are at least
al e: partly official and because their range of weights and area of use seem to be similar. Stone
c sweights, which are not official and served a somewhat different purpose, are treated separately.
si nThe measures are divided into dry and liquid because of the different problems which the two
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a cshapes present. Each of the four sections is made up of a general discussion followed by a
Cl Licatalogue of the objects. A separate series of numbers is used for each category of objects with
. prefixed letters to indicate their nature: BW for bronze weights; LW for lead weights; SW
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o lfor stone weights; DM for dry measures; LM for liquid measures.
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ol o The material for the present study was worked over in the years 1953-54 and 1959-60, when
o e the writer held, respectively, a John Simon GuggenheimM emorialF ellowship and a Fulbright
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sResearch Grant at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. I wish to express my
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S gratitude to these organizations and to Bryn Mawr College for its generosity in granting leave
n alfor the pursuit of these studies. Gratitude is also particularly due to the Directors of the
a nAmerican School of Classical Studies at Athens, John L. Caskey and Henry S. Robinson; to
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i sthe Director of the Agora Excavations, Homer A. Thompson; to Miss Lucy Talcott for constant
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e erencouragement and guidance; to Miss Alison Frantz for meticulous photography; to Mrs.
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pPoly Demoulini for patient efficiency in expediting material; to Miss Hero Athanasiadou for
A or drawings of profiles; to Miss Margaret Thompson and the American Numismatic Society for
© Fphotographs of coins; and to the British Museum, Staatliche Museen in Berlin and National
Museum in Athens for permission to reproduce photographs of coins and measures in their
collections. My especial thanks must be expressed to Miss Lucy Shoe for almost infinite
editorial time and patience.
BRYN MAWR COLLEGE MABEL LANG
APRIL, 1963
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s - PREFAC.E... ......................................................... Vii
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d - LIST OF PLATES . .................. .......................... X
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ABBREVIATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................... Xi

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c s INTRODUCTION 1
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a c BRONZE AND LEAD WEIGHTS ................................... 2
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f y. STONE WEIGHTS .......................................... ... 34
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ol o DRY MEASURES 39
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h s LIQUID MEASURES ............................... 56
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n al CONCORDANCE OF INVENTORY AND CATALOGUE NUMBERS ........ 65
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c o INDEX OF DEPOSITS ................... ............ ....... 67
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m p INDEX .......................... 139
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LIST OF PLATES

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e . 1 Bronze Weights: BW 1-14
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t N 2 Lead Weights: Wheel and Astragalos, LW 1-3, 6-7
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C 3 Lead Weights: Astragalos and Dolphin, LW 4-5, 8-11
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4 Lead Weights: Dolphin, LW 12-16
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al e: 8 Lead Weights: Half-Tortoise, Crescent, Cornucopia,e tc., LW 45-62
sic ns 9 Lead Weights: Roman Standard, LW 63-73, 75
s e 10 Lead Weights: Marked, but Uncertain Standard, LW 74, 76-82
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Cl Li 11 Lead Weights: Marked, but Uncertain Standard, LW 83-85

f y. Stone Weights: SW 1-8
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l n 12 Stone Weights: SW 9-28
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o e 13 Dry Measures: DM 1-39
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n al 15 Dry Measures: DM 65-75
a n 16 Liquid Measures: LM 1-11
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ri s 17 Liquid Measures: LM 12-31
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or 33 Profiles of Dry Measures, DM 1-43
© F 34 Profiles of Dry Measures,D M 44-74
35 Profiles of Liquid Measures,L M 1-31
36 Actual State Plan of the Agora
ABBREVIATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bellinger, A. R., "The Chronologyo f the Attic New Style Tetradrachms,"H esperia,S uppl. VIII, pp. 6-30.
Broneer,O scar," Excavationso n the North Slope of the Acropolis:1 937,"H esperia,V II, 1938, pp. 161-263.

s Brown, W. L., "Pheidon'sA llegedA eginetanC oinage,"N um. Chron.,s er. 6, X, 1950, pp. 177-204.
en .Cagnat,R . et Chapot,V ., Manuel d'arche'ologrioem aine,P aris, 1916-1920.
DCrosby,M ., "An AthenianF ruit Measure,"H esperia,X VIII, 1949, pp. 108-113.
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t NDavidson, G. R., Corinth,X II, The Minor ObjectsP, rinceton, 1952.
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-Davidson, G. R. and Thompson,D . B., SmallO bjectfsr omt he Pnyx I, Hesperia,S uppl. VII, 1943.
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t Day, John, An EconomicH istory of Athensu nderR omanD omination,N ew York, 1942.
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Deonna, W., De'los,X VIII, Le mobilierD 'lien, Paris, 1938.
s Y-Dinsmoor,W . B., The Architecturoef AncientG reece3, New York, 1950.
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i BDoerpfeld,W ., "Beitraigez ur antiken Metrologie,"A th. Mitt., VIII, 1883, pp. 36-56, 342-358.
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-Edwards, G. Roger, "Panathenaicso f Hellenistic and Roman Times," Hesperia,X XVI, 1957, pp. 320-349.
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t French, A., "The EconomicB ackgroundt o Solon's Reforms,"C l. Quart.,V I, 1956, pp. 11-25.
S CGardner,P ercy, A History of AncientC oinage7 00-300 B.C., Oxford,1 918.
cal se: GGhloatlzi,- KGa.,h Ailn,L ciilelnyt,G ltruedeecsea tT Whaosriekn,t nraesnV,s .I bI,y L Ma .c Re'.r Damobiqieu,g eNr eecwq'Yu eoP,r akr, i1s9, 12966. 0.
si nHead, H. N. = Barclay V. Head, HistoriaN umorum,O xford,1 911.
s eHeath, T. L., A Manual of GreekM athematicsO, xford,1 931.
a cHeichelheim,F r., WirtschaftlichSec hwankungend erZ eit von Alexanderb is Augustus,J ena, 1930.
Cl LiHemmy, A. S., "The Weight Standardso f Ancient Greecea nd Persia," Iraq, V, 1938, pp. 65-81.
. Hill, G. F., "Solon's Reformo f the Attic Standard,"N um. Chron.,X VII, 1897, pp. 284-292.
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o lHultsch, F., "Die Gewichted es Altertums,"A bh. der Ph.-hist. Kl. d. kanigl.S aichsG. esell.W issens.,X VIII,
l n Leipzig, 1899.
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o Hultsch, Metrol.= F. Hultsch, Griechischue nd R6mischeM etrologie2, Berlin, 1882.
h eJohnston, J., "Solon's Reform of Weights and Measures,"J . H. S., LIV, 1934, pp. 180-184.
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c uLang, M., "Numerical Notation on GreekV ases," Hesperia,X XV, 1956, pp. 1-24.
S Lang, M., "A New Inscription from Thasos: Specifications for a Measure," B. C. H., LXXVI, 1952,
n al pp. 18-31.
a nLehmann-Haupt C. F., "Gewichte," Pauly-Wissowa-Kroll,R eal-encyclopadied er classischenA ltertums-
c o wissenschaftS, uppl. III, 1918, cols. 588-654.
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er rLehmann-Haupt,C . F., "Forschungenz um antiken und 6stasiatischenG ewichtswesen,"K lio, XXIX, 1936,
m e pp. 250-284.
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A MetrologS. cript. = MetrologicorumSc riptorumR eliquiae,e d. F. Hultsch, I, Leipzig, 1864.
orMichell,H . The Economicso f AncientG reeceC, ambridge1, 940.
© FMichon, E., "Pondus," Daremberg,S aglio, et Pottier, Dictionnaired es antiquite'gs recquese t romains, IV,
pp. 548-559.
Milbank, S. R., Coinageo f Aegina, Amer.N um. Soc. N. Mon., XXIV, New York, 1925.
Milne, J. G., "The MonetaryR eformo f Solon," J. H. S., L, 1930, pp. 179-185.
Murray,A . S., "GreekW eights in the British Museum,"N um. Chron.,V III, 1868, pp. 57-73.
Pernice = E. Pernice,G riechischGe ewichteB, erlin, 1894.
Pink, K., Rimische und Byzantinische Gewichte in 6sterreichischenS ammlungen, Sonderschriften des dster-
reichischen Archiiologischen Institutes in Wien, XII, Wien, 1938.
Pink, K., "R6mische und Byzantinische Gewichte," Klio, XXX, 1937, pp. 346-352.
Robert, L., Jtudes de Numismatique Grecque,P aris, 1951.
Robinson, D. M., Excavations at Olynthus, Part X, Metal and Minor Miscellaneous Finds, Baltimore, 1941.
Rostovtzeff, M., The Social and Economic History of the Hellenistic World, Oxford, 1941.
xii ABBREVIATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY
Schillbach,K . M. R., Beitrag zur GriechischenG ewichtskundeW, inckelmannP rog., XXXVII, Berlin, 1877.
Segrb,A ., Metrologiae circolazionem onetariad egli antichi,B ologna, 1928.
Seltman, Athens= C. T. Seltman, Athens,i ts History and Coinageb eforet he Persian Invasion, Cambridge,
1924.
Seltman, GreekC oins2= C. T. Seltman,G reekC oinS2L, ondon, 1955.
Svoronos= J. N. Svoronos,L es monnaiesd 'Athines,M unich,1 926.
Thompson,M ., The New Style Silver Coinageo f Athens,N ew York, 1961.
Thompson,M ., "The Beginning of Athenian New Style Coinage,"A mer. Num. Soc. Mus. Notes, V, 1952,
pp. 25-33.
Viedebantt,0 ., AntikeG ewichtsnormuenn d Miinzfu f/e,B erlin,1 923.
Viedebantt,0 ., "Die athenischenH ohlmal3e,"F estschrifOt xd,D armstadt,1 938, pp. 135-146.

s Viedebantt, 0., "Der athenischeV olksbeschluBii ber MaBu nd Gewicht,"H ermes,L I, 1916, pp. 120-144.
en .Viedebantt, 0., "Forschungenz ur Metrologied es Altertums,"A bh. der Ph.-hist. K1. d. k6nigl.S dichsG. esell.
D Wissens.,X XXIV, 3, Leipzig, 1916.
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t NViedebantt, O., "Metrologica,"P hilologus,L XXIX, 1923, pp. 298-313; LXXXIII, 1927, pp. 207-212.
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-Viedebantt, O., "MetrologischeB eitrage I, II," Hermes,X LVII, 1912, pp. 422-465, 562-632.
t CWade-Gery,H . T., "The Ratio of Goldt o Silver duringt he PoleponnesianW ar: I. G., 12, 301," Num. Chron.
a N
ser. 5, X, 1930, pp. 16-38.
s Y-Waters, K. H., "Solon'sP rice-equalization,"J . H. S., LXXX, 1960, pp. 181-190.
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INTRODUCTION
Studies of ancient metrology have for the most part suffered under two severe handicaps: a
modem scientific metrological system and an excess of theory over practice. The theory,
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n derived from a combination of statements made by the ancient writers on metrology with a
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Dfew actual measurementso f ancient objects, manipulates figures and calculates correspondences
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t Namong standards almost in a vacuum. Moreover,t he metric system which the modem student
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a Nsystem contemplated, at least for generalp ractical and commercialp urposes.F or we are dealing

s -not with minute quantities of valuable metals, as in coinage, or of potent drugs, as in medicine,
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t Since the primary purpose of this study is to present the actual weights and measures found
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in the Athenian Agora, it will perhaps be possible to skirt these pitfalls, at the outset at least,
al e:by allowing the weights and measures to set their own standards. The present state of the
sic nsmaterial, however, will necessarily limit our conclusions both in breadth and depth: the weights
s ealmost certainly do not preserve their original weight; the measures are often too fragmentary
a cto provide true capacity; and in both categories the numbers are too small to give us the
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f y. Some interpretation has been necessary merely to present the weights and measures in some
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nlkind of reasoned order. It seemed desirable to ask and, where possible, to answer the questions
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o owhich the objects themselves raise: what are they? what is their relation to one another? when,
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h ehow and by whom were they used? to what extent do they confirm, contradict or add to other
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c uevidence in what they can tell us about the public and private life of the ancient Athenians?
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n al As far as modern equivalents are concerned, it was necessary on occasion to make use of
a nthem in a preliminary fashion in order to introduce the ancient weights and measures. In these
c ocases, I have been content to use time-honored and generally accepted figures like a drachm
eri rsof 4.36 gr. and a kotyle as 273 cc., since variations from these, although developed with much
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A capacity as exemplified in extant pieces.
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BRONZE AND LEAD WEIGHTS
s Of the many bronze and lead weights found in the Agora only those which bear some indica-
n tion of their weight and their relation to a standard need detailed consideration. Only after
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t Nassigned, and even then they can add nothing except possible weight of numbers. Where there
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a Nunmarked ones will for the most part be more arbitrary than useful.

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- STANDARDS AND EQUIVALENTS
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S C Of the marked weights, more than a dozen belong to the Roman system of pounds and
al e: ounces, and a few others have marks or symbols which are not immediately meaningful. For
c sall of these, see below (pp. 23-24). Of the remainder,t he largest group appears to belong to one
si nsystem, without doubt Athenian, because of the general uniformity of style, symbols and
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a cinscriptions. Within that general uniformity, however, certain variations in form and in the
Cl Liuse of symbols and legends as well as variations in weight make it clear that more than one
. standard is represented. It will be well, therefore, to consider first the literary evidence for
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o ldifferent standards or changes of standard in the Athenian system of weights.
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o Aristotle, Ath. Pol., 10
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ch s 'Ev pC.vo iv "roT-v 6potl Ta0ra 60KS eEivcatVQlIO, rOTlK," puiT p vopEoo iaOOOSW oTrOlt'=T r iV "rv XPEC)V
S u drroKorTvr KiM leT -TrO vTTc av rE- rv ITpcov Ki oKTaa i pVv T1V v7a'TOOiTOoo "CtTl-roS lonTv. TrinKEiVOU
n al y&p (cid:127)y(cid:127)vE6To KaIiT a ptpa p1 eilco TOv OE1ioVSiEOV, KaI WV v&rp 6TrEpOEVX ovUaac rTaOpv (cid:127)P8OpitKOVTa
rica son TSp6a vX6ppaoSap di&KIvTaEp wi lT1X(mpcl O-erKia 0cO5V TKa aIVT&r6Sv- ?7.T jVri8h 'C 6X a&vpTXova qyoos aXoacp?aSK, KT<alil p r 6T688pla6VXIiEpOoVTv.pv l- lroiaThtea E-S8 IK-lav1 aooIT -wrraaapOpT 6Tr pij&op l
e er KaL TOIoS(cid:127)o Oa-raOijS.
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A Whatever else is obscure in this much vexed chapter,1 the weight standard is clear. Solon
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omade the weight talent heavier by three mnas than the coin talent and distributed the extra
© Fweight among the constituent parts of the weight talent. The one part specifically named is
the stater, i.e. the standard weight unit comparablet o the earliest standard coin, the didrachm.
Thus the weight stater was to the weight mna as the coin didrachm was to the coin drachm.
1 Cf. recent bibliography: J. G. Milne, "The Monetary Reform of Solon," J.H.S., L, 1930, pp. 179-185; J. Johnston,
"Solon's Reform of Weights and Measures," J.H.S., LIV, 1934, pp. 180-184; A. French, "The Economic Background to
Solon's Reforms,"C l. Quart.,V I, 1956, pp. 11-25; K. H. Waters, "Solon's Price Equalization," J.H.S., LXXX, 1960, pp. 181-
190. It seems to me that the differencesb etween Aristotle's and Androtion's (Plutarch, Solon, 15) numbers of old drachms in the
new mna can best be explained with reference to the difference between the coin mna and the weight mna. Aristotle gives
the figure 70, which has reasonably been interpreted as the drachms of Aeginetan weight in the new mna of ca. 436 gr. (100
x 4.36 gr. is 70 x 6.23 gr.). Androtion's statement that what had been 73 drachms now became 100 shows that he was making
his calculations on the basis of the weight mna (105 x 4.36 gr. is 457.8 gr.) rather than the coin mna (436 gr.). That is, 73 x
6.23 gr. is 454.8 gr.