Nomisma

For the Byzantine nomisma coin, see solidus (coin).

Nomisma (Ancient Greek: νόμισμα) was the ancient Greek word for "money" and is derived from nomos (νόμος) meaning "'anything assigned,' 'a usage,' 'custom,' 'law,' 'ordinance,' or 'that which is a habitual practice.'"[1]

...but money has become by convention a sort of representative of demand; and this is why it has the name 'money' (nomisma) – because it exists not by nature but by law (nomos) and it is in our power to change it and make it useless.

— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics [1133b 1].[2]

The term nomos may also refer to an approximately 8 gram Achaean coin denomination.[3][4]

Other uses

In Modern Greek, the word nomisma means "currency".[5] It is also a term used by numismatists when referring to the pieces of money or coin in the plural nomismata an example of which is the Aes rude of Numa Pompilius (the 2nd King of Rome).[6]

See also

References

Citations

  1. ^ The King James Version New Testament Greek Lexicon; Strong's Number:3546
  2. ^ Aristotle 350 B.C.E., book 5
  3. ^ "Forum Ancient Coins". Forum Ancient Coins. Retrieved 2018-02-18.
  4. ^ "Greek, Lucania – 530 BC". ancientnomosart.org. Retrieved 2018-02-18.
  5. ^ Greek-English Lexicon
  6. ^ Pliny the Elder 77 A.C.E., book 34

Bibliography

  • Ancient Greek-NOMISMA: "money", The King James Version (KJV) New Testament Greek Lexicon; Strong's Number:3546 [1] Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
  • Aristotle, NICOMACHEAN ETHICS [1133b 1], translations: a) Thomas Taylor [2]; b) Sir (William) David Ross KBE [3]; c) Harris Rackham [4]
  • Contemporatary Greek-NOMISMA: "currency"[5][6]
  • Pliny the Elder, The Natural History,BOOK XXXIV. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF METALS. CHAP. 1. (1.)--THE ORES OF BRASS., Editions and translations: English (ed. John Bostock and Henry Thomas Riley| Latin (ed. Karl Friedrich Theodor Mayhoff)[7]