Mina with a Herm, Cornucopias, and Grain in the Getty Villa, June 2016

Title: Disk-shaped Weight

Artist/Maker: Unknown

Culture: Roman

Place: Eastern Mediterranean (Place Created)

Date: 2nd century A.D.

Medium: Lead

Object Number: 96.AI.198

Dimensions: 0.9 × 12 cm, 0.885 kg (3/8 × 4 3/4 in., 1.9511 lb.)

Credit Line: Gift of Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman

Inscription: "ΕΤΙΥΣΔ, ΔΗΜΟΣΙΑ, MNA " Around the the weight: "ZHNOBIOY" Translation from Greek: "of year 4, Public, Mina" Around the weight:" Of Zenobian"

Alternate Title: Herm, Cornucopias, and Grain (Display Title)

Department: Antiquities

Classification: Implements

Object Type: Weight

The Greek inscriptions on this circular weight read " Of Zenobios; year 4; public; mina." They identify the weight as having been an official public standard against which other weights were checked. Zenobios would have been the current agoranomos, the government official in charge of the accuracy of weights and measures used in the markets. The mina was a basic unit of measure in the eastern Mediterranean well into the Roman period. The symbols interspersed among the inscriptions relate to the economic well-being of the city that issued the weight. At the left is a herm depicting a bearded god, perhaps Hermes in his role as god of the marketplace. Two cornucopiae, or horns of plenty, symbolize prosperity and abundance, as does the shaft of wheat at the right. The raised rings on the back may have been used to calibrate the weight.

Text from: www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/29634/unknown-maker-disk-shaped-weight-roman-2nd-century-ad