A recent discovery has added to our information the most extensive
series of statistical data, which make known from an official act, and
by numerical figures, the state of the Roman empire 1500 years ago; the
price of agricultural and ordinary labour; the relative value of money;
the abundance or scarcity of certain natural productions; the use, more
or less common, of particular sorts of food; the multiplication of
cattle and of flocks; the progress of horticulture; the abundance of
vineyards of various qualities; the common use of singular meats, and
dishes, which we think betrays a corruption of taste; in short the
relation of the value existing between the productions of agriculture
and those of industry, from whence we obtain a proof of the degree of
prosperity which both had reached at this remote period.
This precious archaeological monument is an edict of Diocletian,
published in the year 303 of our era, and fixing the price of labour and
of food in the Roman empire. The first part of this edict was found by
Mr. William Hanks, written upon a table of stone, which he discovered at
Stratonice, now called Eskihissar in Asia Minor. The second part, which
was in the possession of a traveller lately returned from the Levant,
has been, brought from Rome to London by M. de Vescovali, and Colonel
Leake intends to publish a literal translation of it. This agreement of
so many persons of respectable character, and known talents, excludes
all doubts respecting the authenticity of the monument.
The imperial edict of Diocletian is composed of more than twenty-four
articles. It is quite distinct from that delivered the preceding year
for taxing the price of corn in the eastern provinces, and it contained
no law upon the value of corn. It fixed for all the articles which it
enumerated a maximum, which was the price in times of scarcity. For all
the established prices it makes use of the _Roman Denarii_; and it
applies them to the _sextarius_ for liquids, and to the _Roman
pound_ for the things sold by weight.
Before the Augustan age, the _denarius_ was equal to eighteen sous
of our money; but it diminished gradually in value, and under Diocletian
its value was not above nine sous of French money, and 45 centimes. The
Roman pound was equivalent to 12 ounces, and the _sextarius_ which
was the sixth part of a conge, came near to the old Paris chopin, or
half a litre.
Proceeding on these data, M. Moreau de Jonnes has formed a table,
showing, 1. the maximum in Roman measures, the same as the established
imperial edict; and 2. the mean price of objects _formed from_ half
the maximum, and reduced into French measures.
The following is the table drawn up by M. Moreau de Jonnes. The
slightest inspection of it will enable us to appreciate the importance
of this archaeological discovery, for no monument of antiquity has
furnished so long a series of numerical terms, of statistical data, and
positive testimony of the civil life and domestic economy of the Greeks
and Romans:--