Tekin Balance

Tekin, O. Balance weights in the Aegean world, Classical and Hellenistic periods. (Istanbul, 2016).

Translated from Turkish into English.

Ancient and Medieval Weights and Scales for sale at Forum Ancient Coins

ISBN 10: 6054701959 / ISBN 13: 9786054701957

Historically, balance weights are as old as the balances themselves. Actually, balance and weight examples of Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Hittite civilizations are known from wall paintings, reliefs, papyri and collections. However, the scope of this book is the balance weights produced and used in the Aegean world during the Classical and Hellenistic periods. Balance weights were among the instruments of public sphere (instrumenta publica) of antiquity and they constitute an important group of antiquities worth studying for their unit marks, symbols, depictions, inscriptions and ornaments. However, balance weights have been among the most neglected artifacts within archaeological research. Certainly, this work at handbook level should not be expected to fill the gap entirely, but rather call attention to this field. The examples were chosen from the city-states in the Aegean world and cover only those which bear ethnic or symbol (parasemon).

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

    Scope, material, and sources
    History of research in the light of basic publications

1. AN OVERVIEW OF WEIGHTS

    Form, material, and manufacture
    Symbols (parasema) and other depictions
    Denominations
    Ethnic
    State guarantee (Demosion)

2. WEIGHT SYSTEMS, STANDARDS AND SOLON’S REFORM

    Weight systems
    Standards and changes in the standards
    Solon’s reform

3. MARKET PLACES AND MARKET CONTROLLERS

    Agoras and their functions
    Magistrates in charge of the agora and the weights

4. CITIES AND THEIR WEIGHTS

    Athens
    Corinth
    Olympia
    Olynthos
    Thasos
    Maroneia
    Ainos
    Lysimachia
    Bisanthe
    Byzantion
    Kalchedon
    Kyzikos
    Lampsakos
    Abydos
    Ilion
    Tenedos
    Gentinos
    Alexandria Troas
    Skepsis
    Myrina
    Kyme
    Smyrna
    Chios
    Kolophon
    Ephesos
    Priene
    Miletos
    Alabanda
    Herakleia under Latmos
    Rhodos

GENERAL EVALUATION
APPENDICES

    Appendix 1: Balances, steelyards and steelyard weights
    Appendix 2: Civic weights under the Roman Empire

ABBREVIATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY
IMAGE SOURCES
TECHNICAL ABBREVIATIONS
GLOSSARY
PLATES