Litra
Alitra(pl.:litrae;Ancient Greek:λίτρα) was a smallsilver coin(orunit of measurementfor otherprecious metals) used in the Archaic-era and early Classicalcolonies of Ancient Greecein general and in ancientSicilyin particular. As a coin, the litra was similar in value to theobol.[1]In silver content, the coin weighed 0.87 g (0.031 oz) and was equal to one-fifth of adrachma.[2]As a unit of weight, thelitrawas one-third of aRomanlibra,i.e. 109.15 g (3.850 oz).[2]
Making small change from the silver coin, onelitracould be divided into 12 bronzeonkiacoins (also spelledounkiaand related to the later Romanuncia). Some ancient Greek bronze coins were marked with value "pellets", which are tiny solid domed counting-dots somewhat like the pips ondice.Because of the division into 12 parts, a bronze coin marked with six pellets was worth half alitra(ahemilitron). A coin marked with three pellets was a quarter-litra (called atetrasfor a fourth-part). For those accustomed to a 10-based rather than a 12-based coin system, it can be confusing that a coin marked with three units is a "quarter", but this is because threeonkiais one fourth of a 12-onkialitra.A bronze coin worth one-sixth of alitra,called ahexans,often bore two value-pellets. Worth twoonkia,thehexanswas also called adionkion(a twoonkiaunit).[3]A five-onkia coin also appeared at times, called bynumismatistsaquincunx(not all ancient bronze coins with pellets/pips were such divisions of a litra; the Romanaes gravecoins also used pellets).
In the 3rd-centuryapocryphal New Testamenttext known as theActs of Thomas,Jesussells Thomas to anIndianmerchant "for three litrae of silver unstamped".[4]
In theTalmud,the litra is aunit of measurement,the equivalent of 60shekels,weighing 354 g (12.5 oz).[5]
References
[edit]- ^William Smith, ed. (1845).A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities(3rd American ed.). New York: Harper & Brothers. p. 594.Retrieved25 July2011.
- ^abStumpf, Gerd."Litra".Brill's New Pauly.Retrieved25 July2011.(subscription required)
- ^Stumpf, Gerd."Hexas".Brill's New Pauly.Retrieved5 June2022.(subscription required)
- ^"The Acts of Thomas".Gnostic Scriptures and Fragments.Gnostic Society Library.Retrieved25 July2011.
- ^Ettinger, Yair (9 September 2011)."'Torah archaeology' sheds light on ancient Talmudic dispute ".Haaretz.Retrieved9 September2011.
External links
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