74 MINING IN 



CHAP. ii. 



gave, the complete exhaustion of the mines soon 

 became manifest, and put to shame that pro- 

 phetic spirit by which he had predicted the 

 most brilliant success. The injurious effects of 

 the stoppage of the mines in Attica, with the 

 contemporaneous loss of the foreign gold mines, 

 were seen in the contrast between the former 

 prosperity of the state, and the depressing poverty 

 which followed speedily afterwards 1 . 



The manner of working the mines in the 

 small and democratic state of Athens, may be 

 presumed to have been different from that which 

 was pursued under the despotic monarchs of 

 Egypt ; and that presumption is confirmed by 

 many passages in the writings of the Gre- 

 cians. The mines appear always to have 

 been the property of the community, although 

 they were not at all periods worked by the 

 state. Before the Persian war, an annual divi- 

 sion of the profits was made among all the 

 citizens ; which shows, that they were either 

 worked by the state or let out to farm. After 

 that important war, in consequence of the sug- 

 gestion of Themistocles, the distribution of the 

 produce ceased ; though the profit was collected 

 and employed by the government for public 

 purposes. From that period it becomes clearer 

 that the mines were chiefly worked by private 



1 Meursii Fortuna Attica, p. 56. 



