摘要
This study produces an estimate of the money supply in Athens by combining an analysis of(a)the quantities of metal produced by the Laurion mines,of(b)the attrition of the money supply,and(c)of the export from Athens of precious metal to pay the various public or private expenses of the Athenians.It shows that,in order to fit with Thucydides’number of ca.10,000 talents in the Athenian public and sacred reserves in 450 BC,the actual amount of silver production in Laurion was at least in the range of 1,500 talents in 450 BC(the“high count”),not 700(the“low count”).
