MONEY OF ATTICA. 



443 



could easily collect the tribute due to them, and protect their trade. 

 In the commencement of the Peloponnesian war, they derived from 

 their naval superiority a great advantage in this respect ; while they 

 obtained money from the islands and Ionia *, the Spartans borrowed 

 it on interest from the sacred funds of Delphi or Olympia. f The 

 result of the unfortunate expedition to Sicily is well known, and the 

 encampment of the Lacedaemonians at Decelea, added to the distress 

 and difficulties in which the Athenians were then placed. The 

 supplies of provisions that were usually conveyed by land from 

 Eubcea to Athens were cut off, and were therefore sent by sea. The 

 works in the mines could not be carried on with their usual regularity, 

 as the slaves deserted in great numbers to the camp of the enemy. 

 Thucyd. 1. 7. The poverty X of the republic increased ; and in the 

 twentieth year of the war, the Athenians were obliged to spend the 

 thousand talents §, which they had hitherto scrupulously abstained from 

 touching ; and in four years afterwards the gold coin was debased. 



This metal was procured by them from Macedonia and Asia 

 Minor. The gold mines in the vicinity of the Strymon were ex- 

 plored first by the Phoenicians || ; we have little information, however, 

 concerning the wealth or produce of them before the time of Alex- 

 ander the First, who received about the year 480 B. C. the daily 

 income of a talent from them. The revenue derived from these 

 mines continued to be small **, until the reign of Philip the father of 



* TlpoaaSov ^zyltj-rriv. — Thucy. L iii. 



f See the speeches of the Corinthians, and of Pericles. — Thucyd. 1. i. 



i Thucydides informs us. that about this time they adopted a plan from which they 

 hoped to derive an increase of revenue, i. ". Instead of exacting the usual tribute from 

 those who were in dependence on them, they levied a duty of one-twentieth of the value, 

 t»v xutx. bk\ce.7<raM or five per cent. ; Ttjv siy.o(TTr l v rxv xarx &x/>a.<T<Totv xvr) tov <£opov tojj 

 {rzYiXMi: zTrotr^ccv. As the Greek words mean literally, "goods carried by sea," we may 

 apply them both to exports and imports. 



§ Called "A/Svs-crov, Lysis. 1 J4. — See also Plato in Menon. 



|| Clem. Alex. Stro. 1. i. 363. 



•f Mem. de l'Ac. des In. 4/. Some of the Macedonian coins may belong to the sixth 

 century B. C. Knight, Pro], in Horn. sec. 78. 

 #% Diod. S. L xvi. 



3 l 2 



