100. 200. 300. 400. 500. 600. 700. 800. 900.
They are sometimes preceded by the word ΕΤΟΥΣ, thus, ΕΤΟΥΣ ΡΚΔ = _Anno_
124. On the coinage of Egypt, both under the Ptolemies and under the
Roman Emperors, the character [L] is used instead of the word ΕΤΟΥΣ,
thus, ΛΓ = _Anno_ 33. This character was probably an ancient Egyptian
symbol meaning _year_, adopted into the Greek system of numeration for
the sake of brevity. The following are a few of the many epochs or
_æras_ according to which coins are dated:--
The Seleucid æra begins B.C. 312.
The Pompeian " B.C. 63.
The Cæsarian " B.C. 48 or 47.
The Augustan or Actian æra begins B.C. 31.
§ OF THE DENOMINATIONS OF GREEK COINS.
The unit of account in Greece was the _drachm_. The weight of the
drachm was not everywhere identical. It ranged, as a rule, between
about 55 and 95 grs. troy. For purposes of calculation it may be taken
in a general way as the ancient equivalent of our modern shilling or
franc.
Of the various standards of weight which prevailed in different parts
of the Greek world, the _Attic standard_ was the most widely diffused.
The weights of the various denominations, according to this standard,
are as follows:--
The Talent = 405,000 grs. troy } not { = 6,000 drachms.
" Mina (1/60 of the Talent } coined {
= 6,750 grs. troy) } { = 100 drachms.
" Tetradrachm = 270 grs. troy = 4 drachms.
" Didrachm = 135 " " = 2 "
" Drachm = 67·5 " " = 1 "
" Tetrobol = 45 " " = 4 obols.
" Triobol = 33·75 " " = 1/2 drachm or 3 obols.
" Diobol = 22·5 " " = 2 obols.
" Trihemiobol = 16·8 " " = 1-1/2 obols.
" Obol = 11·25 " " = 1 obol.
" Hemiobol = 5·62 " " = 1/2 "
" Tetartemorion = 2·81 " " = 1/4 "
The other standards are the _Æginetic_ (drachm 97 grs.); the
_Phœnician_ (drachm 56 grs.); the _Rhodian_ (drachm 60 grs.); the
_Persian_ (drachm 88 grs.). The other denominations of the above
standards may be easily got at by multiplying or dividing the drachms
as in the Attic standard.
Larger denominations than the tetradrachm are rare, but octadrachms,
decadrachms, etc., etc., occur at some towns. The unit in copper was
called the _chalkous_; but its weight does not appear to have been
definitely fixed like that of the silver drachm.
The Attic gold money was regulated according to the same standard of
weight as the silver. The gold unit of account was, however, not the
drachm, but the _stater_, as it was called, equivalent in weight to
the didrachm, and in value to 20 drachms of silver.
As a rule, the denomination of a Greek coin can only be determined by
weighing it. Marks of value occur, however, on the copper of Italy,
Sicily, etc.; but these coins follow a system foreign to Greece proper
(see below).
§ OF THE ARRANGEMENT OF A CABINET OF