Original scientific paper
MENSA PONDERARIA FROM ASSERIA
Jasna Jeličić
; Split
Abstract
A fragment of a Roman stone tabel used for checking measures – the so called σήκωμα or MENSA PONDERARIA – vas found as Podgrađe near Benkovac, in the vicinty of the Church of the Holy Ghost, on the Forum of the Roman Asseria. The fragment is kept in the archaeological collection of the Franciscan Monastery at Sinj.
A similar fragment of that stone table is exhibited in the antique collection of the Archaeological Museum of Zadar. Its origin being the same, the dimensions of the fragments correspond: they have the same height, the same way of dressing, the same height of the inscription, which – thanks to this fragment – may now be partly completed. Owing to all these facts, the fragments evidently belong to one and the same mensa ponderaria.
Many tables frequently bear no inscription; if they do, the inscriptions usually refer to supervisors, i.e. the magistrate aediles in the Western part of the Empire and ἀγορανόμοι in the Eastern part. There is no inscription on such tables, that refers to amilitary person. The table from Asseria is thus an exception. Covering two opposite sides, the inscription is interrupted on one side at the name C.OPPIVS, to be continued on the opposite side with MIL. LEG., probably TRIB(VNVS) MIL(ITVM) LEG(IONIS). With the passing of time that service ceased to be an exclusively military one, so that Gaius Oppius, either still in that function or afterwards, probably as magistrate aediles, caused the table to be erected in a public place – the Forum of the Antique Asseria – to symbolize his munificence.
The tradition of cheching measures in a public place has survived almost until the recent time. One can follow the constant change, standardization, and adaptation of systems, usages and units of measurement from the ancient times, through the middle ages, to this day.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
159312
URI
Publication date:
23.12.1980.
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