268 M. Moreau de Jonnes on the Domestic Economy 



called Eskihissar, in Asia Minor. The second part, which was 

 in the possession of a traveller lately returned from the Le- 

 vant, has been brought from Rome to London by M. de Ves- 

 covali, and Colonel Leake intends to publish a literal transla- 

 tion of it. This agreement of so many persons of respectable 

 character, and known talents, excludes all doubts respecting 

 the authenticity of the monument. 



Although it was known from Aurelius Victor that Diocle- 

 tian had made in the year 302 and 303 several laws in order 

 to provide abundance of provisions in Italy, and particularly 

 at Rome, they did not know that he had by an edict fixed a 

 maximum price of labour and of provisions. 



Nevertheless, there were many examples which showed that 

 his predecessors and himself had believed it to be their duty 

 to fix the price of things upon their own authority. M. Mo- 

 reau de Jonnes quotes on this subject a great number of facts 

 mentioned by historians, and which tend to show what wrong 

 notions the most enlightened of the Caesars entertained respect- 

 ing the right of property, the liberty of commerce, and the 

 prosperity of agriculture. 



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 esta- 

 blished 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 twelve ounces, and the sextarius, which was the 

 sixth part of a conge, came near to the old Paris chopin, or 

 half a htre. 



Proceeding on these data, M. Moreau de Jonnes has form- 

 ed a table, showing 1. the maximum in Roman measures, the 

 same as the established imperial edict ; and % the mean price 



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