Talent is all you need

[Widsith]

I stumbled across the Talent as a measure of gold or silver in olden days.

This is from wikipedia.  I thougt it was interesting and wanted to share:

 

 

A talent (Latin: talentum, from Ancient Greek: τάλαντον "scale, balance") is an ancient unit of mass. It corresponded generally to the mass of water in the volume of an amphora, i.e. a one-foot cube.

The Babylonians and Sumerians had a system in which there were 60 shekels in a mina and 60 minas in a talent (in Ancient Greece one talent was 26 kg of silver). The Roman talent consisted of 100 libra (pounds) which were smaller in magnitude than the mina.

When used as a measure of money, it refers to a talent-weight of gold or of silver. The gold talent is reported as weighing roughly the same as a person, and so perhaps 50 kg (>110 lb avoirdupois). Some authorities say that the talent typically weighed about 33 kg (>72 lb) varying from 20 to 40 kg. In June, 2018, the international price of gold was about US $41,155.69 per kilogram. One gram costs about $38. At this price, a talent (33 kg) would be worth about $1,400,116.57. Similarly, in February 2016, the price of silver was about $15 per troy ounce or about 50 cents per gram, so a 33 kg silver talent would be worth about $16,500. Thus when we read that King Auletes of Egypt paid Gaius Julius Caesar the sum of 6,000 talents of gold to grant him the status of a "Friend and Ally of the Roman People," this amount would be worth about $8,400,000,000 USD today! These estimates are only rough values, because they are based on modern estimates.The value of silver in comparison to gold drastically changed. This is because of the output of the Spanish silver mines in the New World. In ancient times the same amount of silver was often worth more than gold. The estimates do not account for the less technical mining ability of the time, nor that there were still native deposits available. Later in Roman history, during the medieval Byzantine period, the emperor Basil II was said to have stockpiled the legendary amount of 200,000 talents of gold which, in modern terms, would be worth approximately $280,023,314,760 USD. At any rate, he did save enough money that the Byzantine government was able to remit all taxes paid during the final two years of his reign.[source?]

Another way to calculate the modern equivalent to a talent is from its use in estimating military pay. During the Peloponnesian war in Ancient Greece, a talent was the amount of silver needed to pay the crew of a trireme for one month. Hellenistic mercenaries were commonly paid one drachma for every day of service, which was a good salary in the post-Alexander (III) days. 6,000 drachma made a talent.

The talent as a unit of coinage is mentioned in the New Testament in Jesus' parable of the talents. One talent was an incredible amount of money.

Categories: Old units of measurementUnits of mass

[Widsith]

If you are worth your weight in gold you must be talented. I wonder if that is the etymology for both?

[MetalsMan]

1 hour ago, Widsith said:

I stumbled across the Talent as a measure of gold or silver in olden days.

This is from wikipedia.  I thougt it was interesting and wanted to share:

 

 

A talent (Latin: talentum, from Ancient Greek: τάλαντον "scale, balance") is an ancient unit of mass. It corresponded generally to the mass of water in the volume of an amphora, i.e. a one-foot cube.

The Babylonians and Sumerians had a system in which there were 60 shekels in a mina and 60 minas in a talent (in Ancient Greece one talent was 26 kg of silver). The Roman talent consisted of 100 libra (pounds) which were smaller in magnitude than the mina.

When used as a measure of money, it refers to a talent-weight of gold or of silver. The gold talent is reported as weighing roughly the same as a person, and so perhaps 50 kg (>110 lb avoirdupois). Some authorities say that the talent typically weighed about 33 kg (>72 lb) varying from 20 to 40 kg. In June, 2018, the international price of gold was about US $41,155.69 per kilogram. One gram costs about $38. At this price, a talent (33 kg) would be worth about $1,400,116.57. Similarly, in February 2016, the price of silver was about $15 per troy ounce or about 50 cents per gram, so a 33 kg silver talent would be worth about $16,500. Thus when we read that King Auletes of Egypt paid Gaius Julius Caesar the sum of 6,000 talents of gold to grant him the status of a "Friend and Ally of the Roman People," this amount would be worth about $8,400,000,000 USD today! These estimates are only rough values, because they are based on modern estimates.The value of silver in comparison to gold drastically changed. This is because of the output of the Spanish silver mines in the New World. In ancient times the same amount of silver was often worth more than gold. The estimates do not account for the less technical mining ability of the time, nor that there were still native deposits available. Later in Roman history, during the medieval Byzantine period, the emperor Basil II was said to have stockpiled the legendary amount of 200,000 talents of gold which, in modern terms, would be worth approximately $280,023,314,760 USD. At any rate, he did save enough money that the Byzantine government was able to remit all taxes paid during the final two years of his reign.[source?]

Another way to calculate the modern equivalent to a talent is from its use in estimating military pay. During the Peloponnesian war in Ancient Greece, a talent was the amount of silver needed to pay the crew of a trireme for one month. Hellenistic mercenaries were commonly paid one drachma for every day of service, which was a good salary in the post-Alexander (III) days. 6,000 drachma made a talent.

The talent as a unit of coinage is mentioned in the New Testament in Jesus' parable of the talents. One talent was an incredible amount of money.

Categories: Old units of measurementUnits of mass

I seem to remember that word coming up as a gag in an old Asterix comic. Obvious word-play, something like "you can make it, only if you've got the *talent"

And it was read out in an old Latin Class, once!

Edited September 6, 2021 by MetalsMan

[Guest]

A really fascinating read, Widsith! I also love the Byzantine Empire. Fingers crossed for a Netflix show about Justinian and Belisarius

[Widsith]

Glad I could inform... I like this sort of thing.

 

[Widsith]

My ancesters helped to create the Teutonic Order. I love that stuff.

[Widsith]

I also love byzantine history. Ravenna is a must see. I went there years ago and was astounded by the art.  

[Widsith]

1 hour ago, MetalsMan said:

I seem to remember that word coming up as a gag in an old Asterix comic. Obvious word-play, something like "you can make it, only if you've got the *talent"

And it was read out in an old Latin Class, once!

You did latin?

[Widsith]

23 minutes ago, Widsith said:

I also love byzantine history. Ravenna is a must see. I went there years ago and was astounded by the art.  

I am also a Hospitaler fan. I have been to many of their Commanderies. I like their ethos. Better than the pfft Templars.

[Widsith]

I went to Malta (knights of old days ref) and the defences  were astonishing. As a an ex-Forces guy it was kill zone central . The defences were top notch even now. 

(assuming no air stuff)

And the locals in Malta are astonishingly hardy. It is why they got a gong from the Royalty.

Edited September 6, 2021 by Widsith
spelling mistake

[MetalsMan]

7 hours ago, Widsith said:

You did latin?

Yes, GCSE level. They would talk about talents as a medium of exchange in the Ecce Romani (beginner) books.

 

[Skyfiller]

WOW the old Ecce Romani books, now that brings back memories 🙂

 

[SidS]

Ecce Romani... I'd forgotten about that! A blast from the past.

[Spark268]

18 hours ago, Widsith said:

If you are worth your weight in gold you must be talented. I wonder if that is the etymology for both?

It's likely. Having a talent, depending on which one it is, could be worth the talent in gold or silver

[LawrenceChard]

16 hours ago, Widsith said:

I also love byzantine history. Ravenna is a must see. I went there years ago and was astounded by the art.  

I once visited Ravenna, and nearly ended up as a casket case! ☺️