Home Periodicals Books Videos & Films People $10,000 Research Prize
 / Logout
The Surplus of the Athenian Phoros PDF - Previous Volume / Next Volume
by Ron K. Unz
In Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies, Spring 1985, Volume 26, Number 1, pp. 21-42

Displaying: Contents PDF / Send As Email
Also Showing: Page List Table of Contents
PDF Size   Previous [p. 21]  Next Page /
Cover
  Jump To p.    Print
P
R
E
V
I
O
U
S

P
A
G
E		N
E
X
T

P
A
G
E
Pages:






















21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40

41
42

Uncorrected Raw Text
The Surplus of the Athenian Phoros
Ron K. Unz
I N THEIR ATTEMPTS to understand the tribute income of the First
Athenian Empire, historians have found that an unimpeachable
contemporary source is challenged by undeniable physical evi
dence: explicit statements of Thucydides are directly contradicted by
the epigraphical record of the quotas paid to Athena on the tribute
collected by Athens. This paper proposes a new theory aimed at
resolving this long-standing dilemma.
I
Thucydides 1.96 states that when the Delian League was estab
lished in 478/7 the allies were assessed a total of 460 talents in
tribute; at 2.13 he reports that by the outbreak of the Peloponnesian
War 43 1/0 the tribute income had reached an average of 600T. Yet
according to the figures of the tribute quota lists, Athens' revenue
was at most some 390T in 43 1/0 and probably between 200i and
250T when the League was founded.1 The discrepancy, over 200T in
each case, is considerable.
How likely is it that Thucydides knew the correct amount of the
Athenian tribute?2 Such financial statistics were matters of public
record, with tribute quotas and assessments since 454/3 inscribed on
'Surviving records of the aparchai paid to Athena on the incoming phoros are woe
fully incomplete. However, by combining the accounts of several years, we can obtain a
reasonable maximum estimate of about 390T for the total tribute paid in 454/3 and
thereafter. B. D. Meritt, H. T. Wade-Gery, and M. F. McGregor, The Athenian Tribute
Lists Cambridge [Mass.]/Princeton 1939-1953 I 241, estimate the increase in tribute
due from new states joining the League between 478/7 and 454/3 at 122T or so cf
n.19 infra; the increase resulting from states shifting from the ship-contributing cate
gory to the cash-contributing category e.g. Naxos and Thasos is subject to much
doubt, but probably ranged from 1ST to 65T, with the larger figure more likely. Based
on this reasoning, the total rise in monetary contributions would have been 140-190T
between 478/7 and 454/3, yielding a cash total of some 200-250r in 478/7. Cf A TL
III 239-43 and A. W. Gomme, A Historical Commentary on Thucydides I Oxford 1945
273-80.
2 Cf S. K. Eddy, "460 Talents Once More," CP 63 1968 187f, for many of the
following arguments.
21


Table of Contents

No Items
Send Current Web Page as an Email:
CLOSE
Your Name
Your Email    Remember Info
Send to
Subject
Comments
Use basic HTML tags for styling in comments           Use Extended Options
Include Self BCC
CC List:
BCC List:
Cancel
Print PDF Pages:
CLOSE
The PDF printing module is not yet available. However, individual PDF pages
may currently be printed by activating the [Toolbar] option and
using the Toolbar Print feature.
Save This Search and Its Results
CLOSE
Normally, a Search and its results will disappear within about an hour.
However, you can save this Search and its results for future reference
Title
Notes
Save Search Cancel
Account Login
CLOSE
Warning
Remember Me Here Forgot Your Password? Send Password
   Login
No Account?  Create an Account with easy Free Registration    Cancel
Make a Donation Supporting UNZ.org and Its Content Providers
CLOSE
This web site provides all its written content free of charge to everyone on the Internet, under permanent license from the publishers, authors, and other holders of the given copyrights.

If you feel you derived some benefit from reading this article or book, we hope that you will consider making a voluntary donation to those who made this possible.

In considering the amount of any donation, please consider the value you believe you derived from this material, and the time you spent reading it.

Consider further the weeks, months, or even years of enormous effort that went into producing the work, and the generosity of the author in making it freely available to everyone on the Internet, many of whom are students or others financially unable to provide any donation.

Finally, please realize that your donations will also encourage other writers and publishers to make their content freely available on the Internet.

Donation Size       Recipient:    Contact Recipient

Make Donation Cancel Donation

Sending Donation of to

Cancel Donation