ACCUMULATIONS OF CHAP. I. 



thousand eight hundred pounds. The revenues 

 derived from the tributary states amounted an- 

 nually to the sum of one hundred sixteen thou- 

 sand two hundred and fifty pounds, and more 

 than seven hundred thousand pounds had been 

 expended in improving the public works 1 . 



The mass of the precious metals brought from 

 the eastern to the western world by Alexander 

 must have been enormous, though much of that 

 captured was expended in'the subjugated coun- 

 tries, and in those which were between them 

 and Greece. The accounts of historians are 

 probably exaggerated ; but whatever allowance 

 may be made for such a practice, which was too 

 common with the ancients, we must be con- 

 vinced from the numerous authorities 2 which 

 bear testimony to the facts, and corroborate 

 each other, that the accumulation in the hands 

 of individual monarchs and states was much 

 greater about the time of the establishment of 

 the full power of the Roman empire than at any 

 subsequent period. 



The treasures acquired by Alexander in Susa 

 and Persia, exclusive of those which were found in 

 the Persian camp and in Babylon, are stated by the 

 authors above referred to and others, by some at 



1 The sums here stated are taken according to the calcu- 

 la^tion of Dean Smith, the learned translator of Thucydides. 



2 Strabo, 615, p. 502. Arrian, lii. 3. Justin, xi. 14. 

 And Plutarch, Vit. Alex. 36. 





