262 



BOOK VII. 



copper assayers divide both the lesser and greater scale weights into divisions 

 of a different scale. Their largest weight of the greater scale weighs one 

 hundred and twelve librae, which is the first unit of measurement. 





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As for the selibra of the lesser weights, which our people, as I have often 

 said, call a mark, and the Romans call a bes, coiners who coin gold, divide it 

 just like the greater weights scale, into twenty-four units of two sextulae 

 each, and each unit of two sextulae is divided into four semi-sextulae and 

 each semi-sextula into three units of four siliquae each. Some also divide 

 the separate units of four siliquae into four individual siliquae, but most, 

 omitting the semi-sextulae, then divide the double sextula into twelve units of 

 four siliquae each, and do not divide these into four individual siliquae. Thus 

 the first and greatest unit of measurement, which is the bes, weighs twenty- 

 four double sextulae. 



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