Page:A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1842, dictionaryofgree00smit 5).djvu/1084

1068 bable that the Greek system of measures had a considerable influence on that of the Romans.

To find the origin of this connection we must look from the measures to the weights, for both systems were undoubtedly founded on weight. The Roman amphora or quadrantal contained 80 pounds (whether of wine or water docs not matter here), and the congiiis 10 pounds. Also the Attic talent was reckoned equal to 80 Roman pounds, and contained 60 minae. Therefore the Attic mina had to the Roman pound the ratio of 80 : 60 or 4 : 3.

Now if we look at the subject historically, we find all the principal features of the Roman system in existence as early as the time of Servius TuUius. We must therefore seek for the introduction of the Greek element before that time. At that early period Athens does not appear to have had any considerable commercial intercourse with Italy, but other Grecian states had, through the colonies of Magna Graecia. The Phocaeans at a very early period had a traffic with the Tyrrhenians, the Aeginetans had a colony in Umbria, and Co- rinth and her colonies were in intercourse with the people of central Italy, besides the traces of Corin- thian influence upon Rome, which are preserved in the legend of the Tarquinii. It is therefore to the Aeginetico-Corinthian system of weights and mea- sures that we must look for the origin of Grecian influence on the Roman system. Now the Aegi- netan poimd, which was half of the Aeginetan mina, had to the Roman pound the ratio of 10 : !); and since the Aeginetan mina was to the Attic (most probably, see Talentum) as 5 : 3, we get from the comparison of these ratios the Attic mina to the Roman pound as 4 : 3, as above.

The above view of the relation between the Greek and Roman system of measures of capacity is that of Riickh, who discusses the subject more fully in his Meirologische Untersuchunge7i, xi. § 10.

[P. S.]

is the name by which in Greece those persons were designated whose duty it was to guard a temple and to keep it clean. Notwith- standing this menial service they partook of the priestly character, and are sometimes even called priests. (Suid. Hesych. Etym. Mag. s. v. : Pollux, i. 16.) In many cases they were women, as Time in Herodotus (vi. 134), but men are also mentioned as. The priestess Timo is called by Herodotus, from which it is clear that iu some places several of these priests must have been attached to one and the same temple, and that they differed among themselves in rank. A class of servants of the same kind were the, or temple-sweepers. (Hesych. and Suid. s. v.) Subsequently, however, the menial services connected with this office were left to slaves, and the persons called became priestly officers of high rank, who had the supreme superintendence of temples, their treasures, and the sacred rites obsened in them. (Xenoph. Anab. v.

3. § 7 ; Plat, dc Legrj. vi.) We learn from in- scriptions that in some towns the formed a collegium which was lieaded by the eldest among them. ^Vhen the  had thus risen to the rank of high priestly officers, magistrates and per- sons of distinctions, and even emperors, were anxious to be invested with the office, and in the time of the emperors whole nations and cities assumed the title of, as we learn from numerous coins and inscriptions, and thus became the especial guardians of particular temples. ( Van Dale, Disscrtat. ad inscripi. el marm. inpr. Graec. p. 298, &c. ; Eckel, Ductrin. Num. iv. p. 288, &c.) ^ [L. S.]

, Inquisitors, were extraordinary offi- cers, appointed by the Athenians to discover the authors of some crime against the state, and bring them to justice. Public advocates, or, were sometimes directed to assist them in this duty. Frequently the court of Areopagus perfonned the office of inquisitors for the state, and indeed it was the duty of every magistrate to assist in procuring information against offend- ers. (Andoc. dc Mijst. 3. 5. 6 ; Dinarch. c. Demosth. p. 90. 97. ed. Steph.) were more frequently appointed to search for confiscated property, the goods of condemned criminals and state debtors ; to receive and give information against any persons who concealed, or assisted in conceal- ing them, and to deliver an inventory of all such goods to the proper authorities. The debnquent was then prosecuted, cither before the , or it might be before the themselves, if their commission extended to the holding of an. Any person, however, who thought himself entitled to the goods, which were the subject of such information, or to any part of them, might prefer a complaint against the inquisitor or infoi-mer, and petition to have the goods, or the part to which he was entitled, or their proceeds, restored to him. This proceeding was called Inquisitors were also called. On one particular occasion a set of commissioners called, were appointed, to discover the property of the oligarchs, who were concerned in overturning the democracy. (Harpocr. s. v. : Bockh, Staatsh. der Atlicn. i. 170; Meier, Att.Proc. 110, 112, 566.) See also the speeches of Ly sias dc PiM. Bon. and de Aristoph. Bon. and as to the proceedings against state debtors, see fur- ther Brickh, Id. i. 415. [C. R. K.]

. [, p. 212.]

ZONA, dim. ZONULA, also CINGULUM (, Herod. i. 215; iv. 9; ), a girdle or zone, worn about the loins by both sexes. As in the case of some other articles of dress, the distinction between the male and female girle was denoted by the use of a diminutive, or  being properly a man's,  a woman's girdle. (Moeris Att. s.v.) The finer kinds of girdles were by netting, whence the manufacturer of them was called. (Th. Magister, p. 413, ed. Oudendorp; Zonarius.)

The chief use of this article of dress was to hold up the tunic (, Callim. Dian. 12), which was more especially requistite to be done when persons were at work, on a journey, or engaged in hunting. Hence we see the loins girded in the woodcuts of the boatman at p. 404, of the