198 CHRONOGRAPHY. 



chapter to antiquities, we shall, in this work, distribute them, on the 

 principle just explained. 



Numismatics, or Numismatology, is that portion of Archaeology 

 which relates to coins and medals, with their devices, dates and in- 

 scriptions ; which often serve to verify facts of History, Chronology, 

 or Biography. Coins, are usually pieces of metal, stamped by pub- 

 lic authority, and designed to circulate as a medium of exchange. 

 Medals, are pieces stamped in honor of some person, or in com- 

 memoration of some event, but not designed to circulate as money. 

 Coins are usually made of gold, silver, copper, or brass ; but wooden 

 money is mentioned among the Romans ; iron was coined by the 

 Spartans ; and shells are still used as money by various savage tribes. 

 The number of different ancient coins and medals, is estimated, by 

 Millin, at 70,000. The earliest extant, having the stamp of any in- 

 dividual, are those of Alexander I., of Macedon, about 500 B. C. ; 

 but there are coins of particular cities or towns, still more ancient.* 

 The term Epigraphies, has been applied to the study of inscriptions, 

 whether on coins, gems, monuments, buildings, or elsewhere ; which 

 study is merely a subdivision of Archaeology. Sphragistics, or the 

 study of seals, and Autographies, or that of signatures, belong more 

 properly to the next department, that of Biography. 



Chronology, is that division of Historical science, which treats of 

 the dates of events, and the modes of ascertaining them. The name 

 is from the Greek ;tptw>$, time ; and it is sometimes subdivided into 

 Mathematical Chronology, or the ascertainment and comparison of 

 epochs and eras ; Astronomical, or the fixing of particular dates, by 

 their relation to celestial phenomena ; and Historical, or the fixing 

 of dates by inscriptions, and other means. An era, is a point of 

 time fixed upon by some nation or body of men, from which to 

 reckon dates ; and an epoch, is a like point of time agreed upon by 

 historians and chronologists. The Greeks reckoned time by Olym- 

 piads, or periods of four years each ; commencing 776 years before 

 the Christian Era: this being the date of the triumph of Choraebus, 

 at the Olympic games ; which were celebrated once in four years. 

 The Romans reckoned time from the founding of Rome, 753 years 

 before the Christian Era, or 754 B. C. Dates reckoned from this era, 

 are designated by the initials A. U. C., signifying ab urbe condita, 

 that is, from the building of the city. The era of Nabonassar, 747 

 B. C., and that of the Seleucidse, 312 B. C., were somewhat used 

 in the east. The Mohamedans reckon time from the Hegira, or 

 flight of Mohamed from Mecca to Medina, A. D. 622 : but they use 

 the lunar year of 354 days ; making a difference of one year in 33 

 of ours. The Persian era of Yezdegird III., commenced 10 years 

 later, or A. D. 632. 



The Christian Era, now in use among all Christian nations, was 

 introduced by Dionysius the Little, a Scythian Monk, A. D. 526. 

 Following the statement of St. Luke, that John the Baptist com- 

 menced preaching in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, and 

 reckoning this reiga from the death of Augustus, A. U. C. 767, 



The value of some of the principal modern coins, will be stated under the 

 branch of Commerce. 



