Sextans
| Please add updates or make corrections to the NumisWiki text version as appropriate. Sextans, a Roman coin, which is marked sometimes on the obverse, sometimes on the reverse, or on both sides with two globules or [● ●], denoting it to be the sixth part of the as, or two ounces (uncia) because the as was divided into twelve. It has for its types the head of Mercury and the prow of a ship. -- Some of these pieces bear the names of Roman moneyers. The sextans was also a measure for liquids, which contained two cyathi, or twelfth part of a sextarius. Sextarius, a Roman measure for liquids, which, like the as, was divided in twelve ounces, that was also called cyathi. This measure held two cotylae, or heminae, being about an English pint and a half. -- "Hence (says Eckhel) the phrase duo cyathi sextans, tres cyathi, quadrans, etc., by which is easily explained that passage of Martial : Ep. xi. 37.
Quincunces et sex cyathos bessemque bibamus, Caius ut fiat Julius, et Proculus.
Namely, nineteen cyathi for the number of letters, which are in Caius, Julius, Proculus." -- The sextarius was also the sixth part of a congius, a liquid measure of ten libra in weight (about one gallon). It was the moderate quantity of wine which persons of sober habits drank at their meals, as Vopiscus remarks of the Emperor Tacitus : -- Ipse fuit vitae parcissimae, ita ut sextarium vini totá die nunquam potaverit. On the other hand the congius was the scale and criterion of "deep drinking : " some topers being celebrated under the names of bicongii, whilst those more daring were called tricongii ; three or rather six bottle men!
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Sextans
| Please add updates or make corrections to the NumisWiki text version as appropriate. Sextans, a Roman coin, which is marked sometimes on the obverse, sometimes on the reverse, or on both sides with two globules or [● ●], denoting it to be the sixth part of the as, or two ounces (uncia) because the as was divided into twelve. It has for its types the head of Mercury and the prow of a ship. -- Some of these pieces bear the names of Roman moneyers. The sextans was also a measure for liquids, which contained two cyathi, or twelfth part of a sextarius. Sextarius, a Roman measure for liquids, which, like the as, was divided in twelve ounces, that was also called cyathi. This measure held two cotylae, or heminae, being about an English pint and a half. -- "Hence (says Eckhel) the phrase duo cyathi sextans, tres cyathi, quadrans, etc., by which is easily explained that passage of Martial : Ep. xi. 37.
Quincunces et sex cyathos bessemque bibamus, Caius ut fiat Julius, et Proculus.
Namely, nineteen cyathi for the number of letters, which are in Caius, Julius, Proculus." -- The sextarius was also the sixth part of a congius, a liquid measure of ten libra in weight (about one gallon). It was the moderate quantity of wine which persons of sober habits drank at their meals, as Vopiscus remarks of the Emperor Tacitus : -- Ipse fuit vitae parcissimae, ita ut sextarium vini totá die nunquam potaverit. On the other hand the congius was the scale and criterion of "deep drinking : " some topers being celebrated under the names of bicongii, whilst those more daring were called tricongii ; three or rather six bottle men!
| View whole page from the |Dictionary Of Roman Coins|
|