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

THE ATTIC STELAI 203
Second Entry Total Price in Drachmas Prices per Metretes in Drachmnas
(VI, 64-65) 120 1.14
520 5.00
1020 9.81
etc.
etc.
For the second entry, which gives the price of domestic Athenian wine, described
as katharos ('pure, unmixed'), I would favor the reading of the figures for 520
drachmas. This price would more nearly approximate the fourth century figure of
four drachmas a metretes inferred from [Demosthenes], XLII, Against Phainippos,
20 and 31; and, secondly, it is hard to overlook the coincidence that the figure of 520
drachmas results in the even figure of five drachmas a metretes-disregarding the
seven choes.'93
The first entry may well refer to unexported Thasian wine. The descriptive
adjective of line 60 is unfortunately lost, but the five preceding lines (VI, 55-59)
concern property on the island of Thasos, and lines 60-61, the concluding lines under
the name of Adeimantos, may well be part of the Thasian list. The restoration of the
sum of 2180 drachmas would give a ratio for the prices in the two entries of 4.19: 1,
which is close to the ratio of the quantities (4.83: 1). The price of 3.69 a metretes
might then be explained on the assumption that there was considerable war risk in a
purchase made in Athens of wine on Thasos. On the other hand, Thasian wine was
considered by Dionysos, in a fragment of Hermippos,194 to be the best of wines, with
the exception of Chian; so a figure of 8.94, 10.47, or higher for a metretes may seem
preferable. There is scarcely evidence to permit a choice.
II. CLOTHING AND SHOES
The most convenient bibliography on clothing of the classical period is given by
F. Heichelheim, Wirtschaftsgeschichte des Altertumns, II, pp. 1048-49, note 35. Heichelheim
includes articles in Daremberg-Saglio, Dictionnaire, and those published in
Pauly-Wissowa, Realencyclopaedie, up to 1938. In addition, there is a spate of works
on garments written primarily from the standpoint of the drapery in Greek sculpture.
These include L. Heuzey, HIistoire du costume antique, Paris, 1922; A. W. Barker,
" Domestic Costumes of the Athenian Women in the Fifth and Fourth Centuries,
B.C.," A.J.A., XXVI, 1922, pp. 410-425; M. Bieber, Griechische Kleidurng, Berlin and
pickled slices of dolphin (Simonides, 147: Diehl; Euripides, Cyclops, 327; Xenophon, Anab., V, 4,
28). Presumably the contents could be extended to a wide variety of products. A price on an
amphora is not, then, in itself necessarily an indication of the price of wine.
198 Since the standard United States gallon is equivalent to 3.7853 liters, the metretes would
amount to more than 10 gallons.
194 Kock, C.A.F., I, 249.