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CHAP. VI.
peratum, at twenty shillings and four-pence thequarter. Cicero ’s charge against Verres was forexacting duodenos sestertios in modios singulos,which would make the modius or peck cost oneshilling and ten-pence three farthings, and con-sequently the quarter three pounds one shilling.
“ By the great access of riches and increaseof money that happened afterwards, especiallyin the reign of Augustus , the price of cornas well as of every thing else was raised inRome 1 .” We learn from Suetonius , that “theroyal treasures of Egypt being brought to Rome at the triumph after the war of Alexandria, therewas such an abundance of money that, the rateof interest being lowered, a very great increasetook place in the price of land. After this, whenmoney flowed in from the confiscations, Au-gustus allowed the gratuitous use of it, for afixed time, to those who could give security todouble the amount 2 .” Tacitus relates® thatafter the burning of Rome by Nero , it was agreat consolation to the people to have corn re-duced to three nummi the modius, or to aboutsixteen shillings the quarter, which had beenthe ancient price. It does not appear how longthis comparatively cheap rate was continued;but it could not be of long duration, for whenPliny wrote, the prices had again risen, and
1 Arbuthnot, p. 122. 2 Sueton. de August, c. 41-
5 Tacitus Annal. xv.