The exhibition is arranged in the central rectangle of what was formerly the Etruscan Saloon; it includes Wall-Cases =25-64=, =94-119=, and Table-Cases =E-K=. The subject naturally divides itself into the two chief headings of public and domestic institutions, and each of these occupies one half of the room. On the West side are grouped the sections relating mainly to Public Life, on the East those of Private Life: of the former, the section illustrating the monetary system of the ancients and its development naturally leads up to the Department of Coins and Medals. For the general scheme of the exhibition, reference should be made to the Table of Contents. NOTE.--_The references at the end of each section correspond to the numbers of the objects in this Guide. These numbers, which are placed near the objects in the Cases, are distinguished by being in red upon a white ground. Numbers attached to the objects (such as B 77 on a vase) refer to the British Museum Catalogues, which should be consulted for fuller details than can be given in the Guide._ I.--POLITICAL INSCRIPTIONS AND SLAVERY. (Table-Case K.) A section of Table-Case K contains a series of inscriptions which illustrate various sides of Greek and Roman political life. It must be borne in mind that the Greek state was generally of very small dimensions. As a rule all life was centred within a city, which had but a moderate extent of outlying country. Aristotle describes the perfect city or state (the words are interchangeable) as the union of several villages, supplying all that is necessary for independent life.[1] Greece, though small in area, was thus divided up into a large number of states, whose interests were constantly in conflict. It thus came about that it was provided with systems of treaties, arbitrations, and consular representation such as marked a fully developed international system. =Treaties.=--The bronze tablet No. =1= dates probably from the second half of the sixth century B.C., at a time when the Eleians and Heraeans of Arcadia were still dwelling in villages, and were not yet united each into a single city. It is written in the Aeolic dialect of Elis, and records a treaty between the two peoples named. There was to be a close alliance between them in respect of all matters of common interest, whether of peace or war. Any breach of the treaty, or any damage to the inscription recording the treaty, would involve a fine of a talent of silver to be paid by the offender to Olympian Zeus, the supreme Greek deity. The tablet was brought from Olympia by Sir William Gell in 1813. No. =2= is a cast of a similar treaty between the communities of the Anaiti and Matapii, for a fifty years' friendship. In case of a breach of the treaty the priests at Olympia have arbitrators' powers. [Illustration: FIG. 1.--TREATY OF CHALEION AND OEANTHEIA. (NO. 3.)]