Balance Weights in the Aegean World - Classical and Hellenistic Periods

Historically, balance weights are as old as the balances themselves. Actually, balance and weight examples of Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Hittite civilisations are known from wall paintings, reliefs, papyri and collections. However, the scope of this book is the balance weights produced and used in the Aegean world during the Classical and Hellenistic periods. Balance weights were among the instruments of public sphere (instrumenta publica) of antiquity and they constitute an important group of antiquities worth studying for their unit marks, symbols, depictions, inscriptions and ornaments. However, balance weights have been among the most neglected artefacts within archaeological research. Certainly, this work at handbook level should not be expected to fill the gap entirely, but rather call attention to this field. The examples were chosen from the city-states in the Aegean world and cover only those which bear ethnic or symbol (parasemon).

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

Scope, material, and sources
History of research in the light of basic publications

1. AN OVERVIEW OF WEIGHTS

Form, material, and manufacture
Symbols (parasema) and other depictions
Denominations
Ethnic
State guarantee (Demosion)

2. WEIGHT SYSTEMS, STANDARDS AND SOLON’S REFORM

Weight systems
Standards and changes in the standards
Solon’s reform

3. MARKET PLACES AND MARKET CONTROLLERS

Agoras and their functions
Magistrates in charge of the agora and the weights

4. CITIES AND THEIR WEIGHTS 35

Athens
Corinth
Olympia
Olynthos
Thasos
Maroneia
Ainos
Lysimachia
Bisanthe
Byzantion
Kalchedon
Kyzikos
Lampsakos
Abydos
Ilion
Tenedos
Gentinos
Alexandria Troas
Skepsis
Myrina
Kyme
Smyrna
Chios
Kolophon
Ephesos
Priene
Miletos
Alabanda
Herakleia under Latmos
Rhodos

GENERAL EVALUATION
APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Balances, steelyards and steelyard weights
Appendix 2: Civic weights under the Roman Empire

ABBREVIATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY
IMAGE SOURCES
TECHNICAL ABBREVIATIONS
GLOSSARY
PLATES

İngilizce

2016

210 Sayfa

16,50 x 23,50 cm