Chap.. 3.] THE COKINTUlAy BRASS. 149 



its excellent quality ; but none of it has been found for this 

 long time, the earth having been quite exhausted. The kind 

 which was next in value was the Sullnstian, 13 procured from 

 the Alpine district of the Centrones ; u but this did not last 

 lon, and was succeeded by the Livian, in Gaul. They botli 

 took their names from the owners of the mines ; the former a 

 friend of the lunperor Augustus, the latter that emperor's 

 wife. 15 They soon failed, however, and in the Livian even 

 there is now found but a very small quantity of ore. That 

 whieh is at present held iu the highest estimation is the 

 Marian, likewise known as the Cordubun : 1<J next to the Livian, 

 this kind most readily absorbs cadmia, and becomes almost as 

 excellent as aurichalcum 11 for making sesterces and double 

 asses, 1 " the Cyprian copper being thought good enough for the 

 us. Thus much concerning the natural qualities of this metal. 



CLJAP 3. TIIK CORINTHIAN EUASS. 



The other kinds arc made artificially, all of which, will be 

 described in the appropriate plaees, the more celebrated kinds 

 first coming under our notice. Formerly a mixture was made 

 of copper fused with gold and silver, and the workmanship in 

 this metal was considered even more valuable than the ma- 

 terial its'-lf; but, at the present day, it is difficult to say 

 whether the workmanship iu it, or the material, is the worst. 

 Indeed, it is wonderful, that while the value of these works 1 ' 



3 Possibly so cnlle<l from Sallustius Crispus, the historian, who was one 

 of the secretaries of A'uiru>tii<. 



14 There is s<>?ne dubt rcf|eftili2 the locality of those people ; they are 

 enumerated by Pliny among the inhabitants of the luoutitoinousdifttrkUof 

 Savoy, ]5. jii.'c. 21, 'ami are referred to by Ptolemy. B. 



'Liviu. 



- It was named " Marian," after the celebrated Marlus, nnd " Cordu- 

 l:in," from the place whence it was procured ; probably th- mountains near 

 Cordiiba, in Spain, well known as the birth-place of the two Sciieeas and 

 of hucau. 1>. See H. lit. c. 3, and 1$. xix. c. 4'5. 



17 No light is thrown wou the nature either >f Cadmia or Aurichaleum 

 by this statement; we only K-jirn from it that different compouncls, or sub- 

 sfanees possessing diilVrent physical pronerties w;-nt under the common 

 appellation of-Zi'v, and were, tach of them, employed in the format ion of 

 coins. U. 



ls 'M)upondiariis." Tlic " as," it must be remembered, oriffinat'y 

 wi^bl one pound. St-e 15. xxxiii. c. 13, and the Introduction to Vol. III. 



l ' J lie alluuvi to the tim-tcut works of art ii this Compound metal. 



