Greece -- History -- To 146 B.C.; History, Ancient
93. From Pactyïke and the Armenians and the people bordering upon them
as far as the Euxine, four hundred talents: this is the thirteenth
division. From the Sagartians and Sarangians and Thamanaians and Utians
and Mycans and those who dwell in the islands of the Erythraian Sea,
where the king settles those who are called the "Removed," 80 from all
these together a tribute was produced of six hundred talents: this is
the fourteenth division. The Sacans and the Caspians 81 brought in two
hundred and fifty talents: this is the fifteenth division. The Parthians
and Chorasmians and Sogdians and Areians three hundred talents: this is
the sixteenth division.
94. The Paricanians and Ethiopians in Asia brought in four hundred
talents: this is the seventeenth division. To the Matienians and
Saspeirians and Alarodians was appointed a tribute of two hundred
talents: this is the eighteenth division. To the Moschoi and Tibarenians
and Macronians and Mossynoicoi and Mares three hundred talents were
ordered: this is the nineteenth division. Of the Indians the number is
far greater than that of any other race of men of whom we know; and
they brought in a tribute larger than all the rest, that is to say three
hundred and sixty talents of gold-dust: this is the twentieth division.
95. Now if we compare Babylonian with Euboïc talents, the silver is
found to amount to nine thousand eight hundred and eighty 82 talents;
and if we reckon the gold at thirteen times the value of silver, weight
for weight, the gold-dust is found to amount to four thousand six
hundred and eighty Euboïc talents. These being all added together,
the total which was collected as yearly tribute for Dareios amounts to
fourteen thousand five hundred and sixty Euboïc talents: the sums which
are less than these 83 I pass over and do not mention.
96. This was the tribute which came in to Dareios from Asia and from
a small part of Libya: but as time went on, other tribute came in also
from the islands and from those who dwell in Europe as far as Thessaly.
This tribute the king stores up in his treasury in the following
manner:—he melts it down and pours it into jars of earthenware, and when
he has filled the jars he takes off the earthenware jar from the
metal; and when he wants money he cuts off so much as he needs on each
occasion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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