Origin of "Money"
Friday January 28, 2005
Can you put the following words in chronological (or logical) order:
Juno, Celts, Money, and Geese? Do you know why in the Lindsey Davis Falco historical fiction series, there's a flock of sacred geese for Falco to become procurator of?
My order for the words would be Celts - Geese - Juno - Money. There were sacred geese for Falco to take charge of when the Emperor Vespasian gave him the dubious honor, because, according to the stories (Livy and Plutarch), when the Gauls tried to attack the Capitol in the sleeping city of Rome, in 390 B.C., it wasn't the watchman but the geese that heard them. The geese immediately started honking which made it possible for the Romans to defend their Capitol.
Here's the story as told by Plutarch in his Life of Camillus:
So to spell out this explanation for the origin of the word money: (1)The dogs slept, but the geese warned the Romans. (2)The grateful Romans gave thanks and built a temple to Juno Moneta. (3)Coins were minted at the temple. (4)The name of the temple was transferred to coins as "money."
Juno Moneta
The Accusers, by Lindsey Davis
The History of Money
Economics, Coins, and Taxes
My order for the words would be Celts - Geese - Juno - Money. There were sacred geese for Falco to take charge of when the Emperor Vespasian gave him the dubious honor, because, according to the stories (Livy and Plutarch), when the Gauls tried to attack the Capitol in the sleeping city of Rome, in 390 B.C., it wasn't the watchman but the geese that heard them. The geese immediately started honking which made it possible for the Romans to defend their Capitol.
Here's the story as told by Plutarch in his Life of Camillus:
When the king had thus spoken, the Gauls cheerfully undertook to perform it, and in the dead of night a good party of them together, with great silence, began to climb the rock, clinging to the precipitous and difficult ascent, which yet upon trial offered a way to them, and proved less difficult than they had expected. So that the foremost of them having gained the top of all, and put themselves into order, they all but surprised the outworks, and mastered the watch, who were fast asleep; for neither man nor dog perceived their coming. But there were sacred geese kept near the temple of Juno, which at other times were plentifully fed, but now, by reason that corn and other provisions were grown scarce for all, were but in a poor condition. The creature is by nature of quick sense, and apprehensive of the least noise, so that these, being moreover watchful through hunger, and restless, immediately discovered the coming of the Gauls, and, running up and down with their noise and cackling, they raised the whole camp, while the barbarians on the other side, perceiving themselves discovered, no longer endeavoured to conceal their attempt, but with shouting and violence advanced to the assault. The Romans, every one in haste snatching up the next weapon that came to hand, did what they could on the sudden occasion. Manlius, a man of consular dignity, of strong body and great spirit, was the first that made head against them, and, engaging with two of the enemy at once, with his sword cut off the right arm of one just as he was lifting up his blade to strike, and, running his target full in the face of the other, tumbled him headlong down the steep rock; then mounting the rampart, and there standing with others that came running to his assistance, drove down the rest of them, who, indeed, to begin, had not been many, and did nothing worthy of so bold an attempt. The Romans, having thus escaped this danger, early in the morning took the captain of the watch and flung him down the rock upon the heads of their enemies, and to Manlius for his victory voted a reward, intended more for honour than advantage, bringing him, each man of them as much as he received for his daily allowance, which was half a pound of bread and one eighth of a pint of wine.M. Furius Camillus in 345, promised a temple to Juno -- presumably to replace the one mentioned by Plutarch. One inscription on this replacement temple is "Juno Moneta Regina" which may suggest the idea of Juno's involvement in warning. Coins came to be minted at the temple of Juno Moneta and the word "money" comes from the moneta epithet for Juno. It is thought that moneta comes from the Latin verb to warn, but this is not known for sure.
So to spell out this explanation for the origin of the word money: (1)The dogs slept, but the geese warned the Romans. (2)The grateful Romans gave thanks and built a temple to Juno Moneta. (3)Coins were minted at the temple. (4)The name of the temple was transferred to coins as "money."
Juno Moneta
The Accusers, by Lindsey Davis
The History of Money
Economics, Coins, and Taxes


Comments
This story has nothing to do with money.