PRICES IN ROME, LONDON, AND AMERICA 287 
of many persons the law was repealed from necessity.” Sixty 
years later the Emperor Julian made a similar but smaller 
attempt to control prices, but the corn speculators of Antioch 
so entirely worsted him that he had to acknowledge defeat. 
By the courtesy of the Secretary of the Fishmongers’ 
Company I was furnished, with some average wholesale prices 
for 1913, the last year unaffected by the war. The consumer, 
it must be remembered, is compelled, in general, to pay the 
retailer one-third per Ib. more to defray handling, rent, etc. 
The following sea fish were sold in London, per lb., as 
follows : Cod for 4, Turbot for 9}, Mullet (Mugil capito) for 11, 
Sole for 17 pence. In the Edict the price of fresh sea fish 
is lumped at from 4} to 7 pence, so we have no datum for 
comparison of individual prices. In the case of the Mugil 
capito, however, we are enabled to contrast its price, 7.e. II 
pence, with that in Egypt, c. 1200 B.C., 4.e. 3%; of a penny.! 
A comparison with America in 1906 shows that the average 
price of fresh sea fish was from 4d. to 7d. per lb., or practically 
the same as in Diocletian’s time, while that of river fish— 
fresh—per Ib. was 6 to 74 as against 33 pence in the Edict.? 
Salt fish, per Ib. in 301 A.D. cost 44d., in U.S.A. 4d. to 74d. 
Oysters (by the 100), 1s. rod., (in London) 4/- to 14/-. 
The figures show that prices of other commodities in the 
Edict vary extremely, but for sea fish are not far apart. 
From the articles of raw material and manufactured wares, 
which number in the Edict over eight hundred, and from the 
wages, etc., I subjoin some items and prices on account of their 
general interest.3 
Price in— 
1906 A.D. in the 
301 A.D. United States. 
s. da. Ss. a. 
Wheat per bushel I 8. 4 10 (wholesale) 
Beef per lb. : ‘ i - 0 3-24d. oOo 5-04. 
Butter 05. I «Imrtol 4 
Eggs, per doz. o 2h. Io O03, (153 
1 See p. 337, postea. 
2 The lower price of river as compared with sea fish seems additional 
evidence that the preference for the latter, well attested in the earlier days 
of Athens and of Rome, still continued. 
3 From p. 174 ff. of Abbott, who gives the prices in cents. 
