This precious archaeological monument is an edict of Diocletian,
published in the year 303 of our era, and fixing the price of labour and
of food in the Roman empire. The first part of this edict was found by
Mr. William Hanks, written upon a table of stone, which he discovered at
Stratonice, now called Eskihissar in Asia Minor. The second part, which
was in the possession of a traveller lately returned from the Levant,
has been, brought from Rome to London by M. de Vescovali, and Colonel
Leake intends to publish a literal translation of it. This agreement of
so many persons of respectable character, and known talents, excludes
all doubts respecting the authenticity of the monument.

The imperial edict of Diocletian is composed of more than twenty-four
articles. It is quite distinct from that delivered the preceding year
for taxing the price of corn in the eastern provinces, and it contained
no law upon the value of corn. It fixed for all the articles which it
enumerated a maximum, which was the price in times of scarcity. For all
the established prices it makes use of the _Roman Denarii_; and it
applies them to the _sextarius_ for liquids, and to the _Roman
pound_ for the things sold by weight.

Before the Augustan age, the _denarius_ was equal to eighteen sous
of our money; but it diminished gradually in value, and under Diocletian
its value was not above nine sous of French money, and 45 centimes. The
Roman pound was equivalent to 12 ounces, and the _sextarius_ which
was the sixth part of a conge, came near to the old Paris chopin, or
half a litre.

Proceeding on these data, M. Moreau de Jonnes has formed a table,
showing, 1. the maximum in Roman measures, the same as the established
imperial edict; and 2. the mean price of objects _formed from_ half