C 495 ] 
Roman Pound, not doubting ‘its authenticity, though 
the note in Gruter lays, fome have fuTpcded it (ri). 
What foundation they had for fuch fufpicion, does not 
appeal i but it is very difficult, to counterfeit the 
genuine cracks and corrolions of antiquity, in a veflel 
of this kind i and Greaves tells us, that while he was 
in Italy, there was found, among the ruins at Rome, a 
ScMnicongius in brafs, of the fame figure with this of 
\efpafian, the lides much corroded with ruff. This 
he alfo meafured, and found it to be half of Vefpa- 
fian’s Congius (4). But weights are eafily counter- 
feited ; and when the remains of antiquity were fo 
eagerly fought after, that artiffs found it worth their 
while to counterfeit the ancient coins, others mi^ht 
counterfeit the weights. ^ 
The Roman Congius contained ten Pounds weic^ht 
of wine (5). Vefpalian’s ffandard is of brafs; Pjetus, 
Villalpandus, and Greaves, have given drawings of it; 
and Gruter tells us, the infeription was in letters of 
filver. 
PtEtus filled this veflel to the narrow part of the 
neck whh rain water, and weighed it with a ffeelyard. 
But this inff rument is liable to great errors ; therefore 
his weight, which wants 5I modern Roman ounces 
of what Villalpandus found it, is of fmall authority. 
Villalpandus filled it to the fame height with fpring 
watei , and found it to contain juft ten modern Roman 
pounds, which are equal to 52560 Troy grains. 
Auzout, filling it likewife to the fame height with 
fpring water, weighed its contents twice; and the near 
(3) Gruter’s inferiptions, p. ccxxiii. 
(4) Greaves, p. ga. in a note. 
(5) Feflus de verb, fignif. v. publica Pondera. 
agreement 
3 
