chap. X.
13
staspes, king of Persia , about 480 years beforeChrist, drew from the several provinces, intowhich, after completing his conquests, he dividedhis extensive dominions.
The amount supplied by each province isstated, and whether paid in silver or in gold.“ The aggregate sum,” he says, “ will be foundto be nine thousand eight hundred and eightytalents in silver, and, estimating the gold atthirteen times the value of the silver, there willbe found, according to the Euboic talent, fourthousand six hundred and eighty of these talents.The whole being estimated together, it willappear that the annual tribute paid to Dariuswas fourteen thousand five hundred and sixtytalents
This treasure is estimated by Gibbon and byRennel to be equivalent to about three millionsand a quarter sterling. According to the infer-ence of the former writer, drawn from the sameauthority, in book 1, cap. 192, this revenue wasthe surplus, after the expenses of the mainten-ance of the army and of the provincial admini-stration had been discharged. This quantity ofgold and silver was probably that which becamethe property of the monarch, forming a kind ofreserved stock to meet unforeseen contingencies.