Valuing Goods: The Development of Commensurability in Archaic Greece

To be monetised, a society requires a unit which measures the values of a wide range of goods. Being thus measurable, the values of goods are mutually commensurable, a point which Aristotle theorised in the Nicomachean Ethics (Book V). But whereas Aristotle gives rise to the impression that the sti...

Descripción completa

Guardado en:

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor principal:	Mark Peacock
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN SR
Publicado:	Center for Hellenic Studies 2021
Materias:	Solon census classes commensurability metrology medimnos History of Greece DF10-951 Greek philology and language PA201-899
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/f1625902f6f3434d86c0e914dc597194
Etiquetas:	Agregar Etiqueta Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!

id	oai:doaj.org-article:f1625902f6f3434d86c0e914dc597194
record_format	dspace
spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:f1625902f6f3434d86c0e914dc5971942021-12-04T08:42:36ZValuing Goods: The Development of Commensurability in Archaic Greece10.35296/jhs.v5i1.682536-572X2536-5738https://doaj.org/article/f1625902f6f3434d86c0e914dc5971942021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttp://www.helenskestudije.me/ojs/index.php/jhs/article/view/68https://doaj.org/toc/2536-572Xhttps://doaj.org/toc/2536-5738 To be monetised, a society requires a unit which measures the values of a wide range of goods. Being thus measurable, the values of goods are mutually commensurable, a point which Aristotle theorised in the Nicomachean Ethics (Book V). But whereas Aristotle gives rise to the impression that the stipulation of a currency unit suffices to make goods commensurable, societies themselves must undergo a process of commensurabilisation whereby people become habituated to valuing goods in terms of a unit of value. This essay examines the development of practices of valuation and commensurability in ancient Greece, paying particular attention to the rule of Solon and his division of the citizenry into census classes according to their yearly income. The assessment of citizens’ income presupposes a unit for measuring income. The stipulation of this unit, it is argued, had a decisive influence in developing practices of valuation and commensurability. Mark PeacockCenter for Hellenic StudiesarticleSoloncensus classescommensurabilitymetrologymedimnosHistory of GreeceDF10-951Greek philology and languagePA201-899ENSRAkropolis, Vol 5, Iss 1 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN SR
topic	Solon census classes commensurability metrology medimnos History of Greece DF10-951 Greek philology and language PA201-899
spellingShingle	Solon census classes commensurability metrology medimnos History of Greece DF10-951 Greek philology and language PA201-899 Mark Peacock Valuing Goods: The Development of Commensurability in Archaic Greece
description	To be monetised, a society requires a unit which measures the values of a wide range of goods. Being thus measurable, the values of goods are mutually commensurable, a point which Aristotle theorised in the Nicomachean Ethics (Book V). But whereas Aristotle gives rise to the impression that the stipulation of a currency unit suffices to make goods commensurable, societies themselves must undergo a process of commensurabilisation whereby people become habituated to valuing goods in terms of a unit of value. This essay examines the development of practices of valuation and commensurability in ancient Greece, paying particular attention to the rule of Solon and his division of the citizenry into census classes according to their yearly income. The assessment of citizens’ income presupposes a unit for measuring income. The stipulation of this unit, it is argued, had a decisive influence in developing practices of valuation and commensurability.
format	article
author	Mark Peacock
author_facet	Mark Peacock
author_sort	Mark Peacock
title	Valuing Goods: The Development of Commensurability in Archaic Greece
title_short	Valuing Goods: The Development of Commensurability in Archaic Greece
title_full	Valuing Goods: The Development of Commensurability in Archaic Greece
title_fullStr	Valuing Goods: The Development of Commensurability in Archaic Greece
title_full_unstemmed	Valuing Goods: The Development of Commensurability in Archaic Greece
title_sort	valuing goods: the development of commensurability in archaic greece
publisher	Center for Hellenic Studies
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/f1625902f6f3434d86c0e914dc597194
work_keys_str_mv	AT markpeacock valuinggoodsthedevelopmentofcommensurabilityinarchaicgreece
_version_	1718372828089155584

Valuing Goods: The Development of Commensurability in Archaic Greece

Ejemplares similares