the attic stelai - The American School of Classical Studies at Athens

THE ATTIC STELAI 297
In later Delian accounts, prices seem to amount consistently to slightly more than
one drachma per talent.72 In 173 B.C., however, there was a rise to 2 drachmas 1X2
obols.73 A survey of the price of wood after 250 B.C. may be found in Larsen, op. cit.,
p. 395.
One would judge from the Acharnenses of Aristophanes that there was a good
supply of wood for fuel in Attica in the fifth century. A. B6ckh has concluded that
this was beechwood.74 Men and asses carried wood and faggots into the city.75 At
the beginning of the fourth century, firewood for a small sacrifice was purchased
according to the fixed tariff for two obols.76 According to [Demosthenes], XLII,
Against Phainippos, 7, Phainippos daily sent six asses laden with firewood from his
place on Kytheros into Athens. Phainippos received more than twelve drachmas per
day; so the burden of wood for an ass was worth two drachmas. The maximum of
firewood an ass could carry on its back has been estimated at 70 pounds.77 This might
be a maximum for long distances; on a short haul a donkey could certainly carry more.
In 329/8 B.C., a year which was inflationary for foodstuffs, one sale of wood is
recorded at the price of 1 drachma 3 obols per talent.78
13. evXa rETpa6yova (VI, 39). Wood of squared deal. This combination of
words occurs in Pollux, IV, 163; Theophrastos, H.P., V, 1, 1; Polybios, V, 89, 1; and
Plutarch, Mor., 210 E. In building inscriptions the combination is very common:
Attica, I.G., I2, 313, lines 99-101; Epidauros, I.G., IV2, 108, line 162; 109, II, lines 21,
99, 143, 159, etc.; 115, line 23; Chalkis, I.G., XII, 9, 907, line 26. Similarly, wood
was sometimes sold as strongylos, or unsquared.79 In most of these entries the wood
was sold by the wagonload.
With regard to lumber, it may be noted that large timber for building had to
be imported into Athens from great distances.80 Even beams and smaller wood were
brought in by sea.8'
14. OKrOTtov (II, 120). Harrow. This word, otherwise unknown in Greek,
occurs in our list after words for the farm implements, shovel and fork; so it was
72 For prices of firewood in Egypt, see the table of A. Segre, Circolazione monetaria, pp. 156-157.
73 Insc. Delos, 456 B, lines 11-12.
74 Staatshaushaltung der Athener3, I, p. 126.
75 Pollux, VII, 109.
76 I.G., II2, 1356, lines 3 and 18. For other prices of wood for sacrifices, see Hesperia, VII,
1938, p. 5, lines 87-93 (3-10 drachmas).
77 Michell, Ec. of Anc. Greece, p. 72.
78 I.G., II2, 1672, lines 124-125.
79 I.G., IV2, 109, II, line 135.
80 Thucydides, IV, 108; Xenophon, H.G., VI, 1, 11. Cf. E. C. Semple, The Geography of the
Mediterranean Region, London, 1932, Chap. XI, especially p. 276.
81
Demosthenes, XXI, Against Meidias, 167.