162 RISE OF PRICES IN ROME. CHAP. vi. 



Although it may be fairly assumed that the 

 value of gold and silver had diminished between 

 the time of Solon and the absorption of Greece 

 into the Roman republic, yet it is only to be 

 inferred from such vague testimony as can be 

 collected from incidental assertions scattered 

 through various authors as have been here quoted. 

 Abbe Barthelemy, who paid so much attention to 

 every thing relating to Greece, and especially to 

 Athens, gave up in disgust his examination into 

 the prices of commodities in the several stages 

 of the history of those countries, concluding it 

 thus : " J'ai trouve tant de variations dans celles 

 d'Athenes, et si pen de secours dans les auteurs 

 anciens, que j'ai abandonn6 ce travail." 



In Rome, the circumstances under which the 

 inhabitants were supplied with bread corn makes 

 the exact value of it, or of the money with which 

 that value is to be measured, a case of great and 

 constant doubt. The corn was sometimes ex- 

 tracted as tribute from conquered or subject 

 countries. It was sometimes furnished to the 

 public magazines by contract, and sold to the 

 populace at lower prices than it had cost. It 

 was at other times given to them gratuitously. 

 These various circumstances do not, however, 

 affect the view we must now take of it. They 

 might have a temporary and even a great effect, 

 but it would not be greatly operative on the dif- 

 ferences between the cheapest and the dearest 



