sestertius: Difference between revisions

{{Lewis

|lshtext=<b>sestertĭus</b>: a, um, num. adj. contr. from [[semis]]-[[tertius]],<br /><b>I</b> [[two]] and a [[half]]; [[only]] in the phrases [[sestertius]] [[nummus]] and milia sestertia; v. I. A. and I. B. 1. [[infra]].— Mostly as subst.<br /><b>I</b> sestertĭus (written also [[with]] the characters HS.; v. B. 4. [[infra]]), ii, m. (sc. [[nummus]]); also in [[full]]: [[sestertius]] [[nummus]]; gen. plur. sestertiūm; [[rarely]] sestertiorum or sestertiūm nummūm, a sesterce, a [[small]] [[silver]] [[coin]], [[originally]] [[equal]] to [[two]] and a [[half]] asses, or one [[fourth]] of a [[denarius]]. When the as [[was]] reduced in [[weight]], [[during]] the Punic wars, the [[denarius]] [[was]] made [[equal]] to [[sixteen]] asses, and the [[sestertius]] continued to be one [[fourth]] of the [[denarius]]. Its [[value]], up to the [[time]] of [[Augustus]], [[was]] twopence and [[half]] a [[farthing]] [[sterling]], or [[four]] and one [[tenth]] cents; [[afterwards]] [[about]] one [[eighth]] [[less]]. The [[sestertius]] [[was]] the [[ordinary]] [[coin]] of the Romans, by [[which]] the largest sums were reckoned. The [[sestertium]] (1000 sestertii) [[was]] [[equal]] (up to the [[time]] of [[Augustus]], [[afterwards]] [[about]] one [[eighth]] [[less]]) to !*?8 17s. 1d. [[sterling]], or $42.94 in United States [[coin]] (v. Zumpt, Gram. § 842; Dict. of Ant. s. v. as, [[sestertius]]).<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>A</b> In gen.: [[sestertius]], [[quod]] duobus [[semis]] additur ([[dupondius]] [[enim]] et [[semis]] [[antiquus]] [[sestertius]] est) et veteris consuetudinis, ut [[retro]] aere dicerent, ita ut [[semis]] [[tertius]], [[quartus]] [[semis]] pronunciarent, ab [[semis]] [[tertius]] [[sestertius]] dicitur, Varr. L. L. 5, § 173 Müll.: nostri quartam denarii partem, [[quod]] efficie batur ex duobus assibus et [[tertio]] semisse, [[sestertium]] nominaverunt, Vitr. 3, 1 med.; Cic. Div. in Caecil. 10, 30: [[taxatio]] in libras sestertii [[singuli]] et in penuriā [[bini]], Plin. 18, 13, 34, § 130.—Freq. joined [[with]] [[nummus]]: [[mille]] nongentos [[quinquaginta]] sestertios nummos, Col. 3, 3, 9.—Gen. plur. sestertiūm: [[quid]] [[verum]] [[sit]], [[intellego]]; sed [[alias]] ita [[loquor]], ut concessum est, ut hoc vel pro deum [[dico]] vel pro deorum, [[alias]], ut [[necesse]] est, cum triumvirum non virorum, cum sestertiūm nummūm non nummorum, [[quod]] in his [[consuetudo]] [[varia]] non est, Cic. Or. 46, 56: sestertiūm sexagena milia nummūm, Varr. R. R. 3, 6, 1; cited ap. Plin. 10, 20, 23, § 45.—Rarely, sestertiorum: duo milia sestertiorum, Col. 3, 3, 13.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>B</b> In partic.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>1</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As adj. in neutr. plur., [[with]] milia (in Varr. and Col.): ut [[asinus]] venierit sestertiis milibus LX. (= [[sexaginta]] milibus [[sestertium]]), Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 14: [[grex]] [[centenarius]] [[facile]] quadragena milia sestertia ut reddat, id. ib. 3, 6, 6: hos [[numquam]] [[minus]] dena milia sestertia ex melle recipere, id. ib. 3, 6, 11: Hirrius ex aedificiis duodena milia sestertia capiebat, id. ib. 3, 17, 3: sestertiis [[octo]] milibus, Col. 3, 3, 8; 3, 3, 9; 3, 3, 10.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>2</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; To [[express]] [[more]] [[than]] [[two]] [[complete]] thousands sestertia is used as plurale [[tantum]], [[with]] distrib. numerals ([[rare]] [[before]] the Aug. per.): si qui [[vilicus]] ex eo [[fundo]], qui sestertia dena meritasset ... domino XX. milia nummūm pro X. miserit (= [[decem]] milia sestertiūm), Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 50, § 119: candidati [[apud]] eum HS. quingena deposuerunt (= [[quindecim]] milia sestertiūm), id. Att. 4, 15, 7: capit [[ille]] ex suis praediis sexcena sestertia, ego centena ex meis, id. Par. 6, 3, 49: bis dena [[super]] sestertia nummum, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 33: [[Tiberius]] Hortalo se respondisse ait, daturum liberis ejus [[ducena]] sestertia singulis, Tac. A. 2, 38: [[princeps]] capiendis pecuniis posuit modum [[usque]] ad dena sestertia, id. ib. 11, 7.—Rarely [[with]] [[card]]. numerals: sestertia [[centum]], Sall. C. 30, 6: [[septem]] donat sestertia, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 80: [[centum]] sestertia, Mart. 6, 20, 1: [[sex]] sestertia, id. 6, 30, 1; cf.: ne cui jus esset [[nisi]] qui ... HS. CCCC. [[census]] fuisset, Plin. 33, 2, 8, § 32.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>3</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Millions of sesterces were expressed in [[three]] ways:<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>a</b> By the words centena (or [[centum]]) milia sestertiūm, preceded by a [[numeral]] adverb ([[rare]]): miliens centena milia [[sestertium]], a [[hundred]] millions, etc., Plin. 12, 18, 41, § 84.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>b</b> With ellips. of the words centena milia, the gen. plur. sestertiūm [[being]] preceded by the [[numeral]] adv. ([[rare]]; [[once]] in Cic.): HS. (i. e. [[sestertium]]) [[quater]] [[decies]] P. Tadio numerata Athenis ... [[planum]] faciam (i.e. sestertiūm [[quater]] [[decies]] centena milia, = 1,400,000 sesterces), Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 39, § 100 ([[where]] B. and K. [[after]] Orell. [[read]]. ex conj., [[sestertium]]; v. Kühner, Gram. § 229, 5 b.).—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>c</b> With [[sestertium]], declined as subst. neutr., and the [[numeral]] adverbs from [[decies]] [[upward]] (also [[with]] ellips. of centena or [[centum]] milia; [[sestertium]] here = [[centum]] milia sestertiūm. The [[origin]] of this [[usage]], [[which]] became [[general]], has been [[much]] [[disputed]], and it is [[usual]] to [[explain]] it, [[after]] Non. p. 495 (cf. Quint. 1, 6, 18), as a grammatical [[blunder]], by [[which]] the gen. plur. [[sestertium]] has been [[mistaken]] for a neutr. [[sing]]., Zumpt, Gram. § 873; [[but]] it [[more]] [[probably]] grew [[out]] of the adj. [[use]] of [[sestertium]] [[with]] [[mille]], [[supra]]; v. Fischer, Gram. 2, p. 269; cf. Neue, Formenl. 1, p. 116; Kühner, Gram. § 209).<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>(a)</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Nom. and acc.: [[quom]] ei testamento [[sestertium]] milies relinquatur, Cic. Off. 3, 24, 93: [[nonne]] [[sestertium]] centies et [[octogies]] ... Romae in quaestu reliquisti? id. Pis. 35, 86: [[sestertium]] [[sexagies]], [[quod]] advexerat [[Domitius]], Caes. B. C. 1, 23, 4: [[sestertium]] [[quadringenties]] aerario illatum est, Tac. A. 13, 31: [[sestertium]] deciens numeratum esse, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 7, § 20; 2, 3, 70, § 163: [[quadringenties]] [[sestertium]], [[quod]] debuisti, id. Phil. 2, 37, 93; id. Off. 3, 24, 93; Nep. Att. 14, 2: [[sestertium]] [[ducenties]] ex eā praedā redactum esse, Liv. 45, 43, 8; Val. Max. 9, 1, 6: [[sestertium]] milies in culinam congerere, Sen. Cons. ad Helv. 10, 3: [[quater]] milies [[sestertium]] suum vidit, id. Ben. 2, 27, 1; Plin. 18, 6, 7, § 37; Tac. A. 6, 45; 12, 22; 12, 53; 13, 31; id. H. 4, 47; Suet. Calig. 37; id. Galb. 5.—Sometimes [[with]] ellips. of [[sestertium]]: [[dissipatio]], per [[quam]] [[Antonius]] [[septies]] miliens avertit, Cic. Phil. 5, 4, 11.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>(b)</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Gen.: [[syngrapha]] sestertii centies per legatos facta, Cic. Phil. 2, 37, 95: argenti ad summam sestertii [[decies]] in aerarium rettulit, Liv. 45, 4, 1: sestertii milies [[servus]], Sen. Q. N. 1, 16, 1: [[liberalitas]] [[decies]] sestertii, Tac. A. 2, 37; 2, 86: centies sestertii [[largitio]], id. ib. 12, 58; 12, 53; Plin. Ep. 10, 3 (5), 2.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>(g)</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Abl.: [[quadragies]] sestertio villam venisse, Varr. R. R. 3, 17, 3: [[sexagies]] sestertio, [[tricies]] sestertio, Val. Max. 9, 1, 4: centies sestertio cenavit uno [[die]], Sen. Cons. ad Helv. 9, 11: pantomimae [[decies]] sestertio nubunt, id. ib. 12, 5; id. Ben. 4, 36, 1; Plin. 8, 48, 74, § 196: [[accepto]] quinquagies sestertio, Tac. A. 3, 17; 6, 17; 16, 13; id. H. 4, 42; Plin. Ep. 3, 19, 7; Suet. Caes. 50; id. Tib. 48; id. Calig. 38, 4.—The [[sign]] HS., i.e. II. and [[semis]], stands for [[sestertius]], sestertia, and [[sestertium]], in all the uses described [[above]]; [[when]] it is [[necessary]], to [[avoid]] [[ambiguity]], its meanings are [[distinguished]] [[thus]]: HS. XX. stands for sestertii [[viginti]]; HS. X˘˘X., [[with]] a [[line]] [[over]] the [[numeral]], = sestertia vicena, or 20,000 sesterces; H˘˘S. X˘˘X., [[with]] lines [[over]] [[both]] signs, = [[sestertium]] vicies, or 2,000,000 sesterces (Kühner, Gram. § 229 Anm. 1). But in [[recent]] edd. the numerals are usu. written in [[full]], [[when]] the [[meaning]] would [[otherwise]] be [[doubtful]].—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>C</b> Transf., in gen.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>a</b> Nummo sestertio or sestertio nummo, for a [[small]] [[sum]], for a [[trifle]] ([[good]] [[prose]]): [[ecquis]] est, qui bona C. Rabirii Postumi nummo sestertio sibi addici velit? Tua, Postume, nummo sestertio a me addicuntur, Cic. Rab. Post. 17, 45; Val. Max. 5, 2, 10: C. Matienus [[damnatus]] sestertio nummo veniit, Liv. Epit. 55: quae maxima [[inter]] vos habentur, [[divitiae]], [[gratia]], [[potentia]], sestertio nummo aestiman da sunt, Sen. Ep. 95, 59; Val. Max. 8, 2, 3.—*<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>b</b> Money, a [[sum]] of [[money]]: sestertio [[amplo]] comparare, for a [[large]] [[sum]], Sol. 27 (40) fin.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>D</b> In the times of the emperors, also, a [[copper]] [[coin]], [[worth]] [[four]] asses, Plin. 34, 2, 2, § 4; cf. Eckhel. Doctr. Num. 6, p. 283.—*<br /><b>II</b> ses-tertĭum, ii, n., in econom. lang., as a [[measure]] of [[dimension]], [[two]] and a [[half]] feet [[deep]]: ipsum agrum sat erit bipalio vertere: [[quod]] vocant rustici [[sestertium]], Col. Arb. 1, 5 (for [[which]]: [[siccus]] [[ager]] bipalio subigi debet, quae est [[altitudo]] pastinationis, cum in duos [[pedes]] et semissem convertitur [[humus]], id. ib. 3, 5, 3).

{{Georges

|georg=sēstertius, a, um ([[semis]]-[[tertius]]), dritthalb, I) [[als]] Münzbezeichnung, [[sestertius]] ([[mit]] [[Zeichen]] HS, d. t. II u. [[semis]]), iī, m. u. vollst. [[sestertius]] [[nummus]], Genet. Plur. sestertiûm nummûm u. bl. sestertiûm od. sestertiorum, der [[Sesterz]], A) eine [[Silbermünze]], zur [[Zeit]] der [[Republik]] dritthalb As [[oder]] [[ein]] Vierteldenar, [[ungefähr]] 20 Pfennige (1000 sestertii = 200 [[Mark]]), 1) eig.: s. [[duodeni]], Cic.: s. [[singuli]], Plin.: s. [[nummus]], Cic. u. Colum. – Der häufige [[Gebrauch]] der Genetivform sestertiûm [[bei]] den Zahlbestimmungen [[über]] [[mille]] bewirkte, daß [[man]] [[sie]] [[schon]] [[sehr]] [[früh]] [[für]] [[einen]] neutralen [[Nominativ]] hielt u. [[nicht]] [[bloß]] [[einen]] [[Plural]] sestertia bildete, [[sondern]] [[sestertium]] [[selbst]] [[als]] [[Singular]] deklinierte. Und [[zwar]] bedeutet [[sestertium]] ([[mit]] Auslassung [[von]] [[mille]]) die [[Summe]] [[von]] [[tausend]] Sesterzen u. [[neben]] dem multiplikativen Adv. [[decies]], centies etc. ([[mit]] Auslassung [[von]] [[centena]] [[milia]]) die [[Summe]] [[von]] [[hunderttausend]] Sesterzen, [[also]] [[decies]] [[sestertium]] eine [[Million]], centies [[sestertium]] [[zehn]] Millionen usw.: sescenta sestertia = 600000 Sesterze, Cic.: quadragena [[milia]] sestertia, [[Varro]]: [[septem]] sestertia, Hor.: [[milies]] [[sestertium]] = 100 Millionen, Cic.: [[sexagies]] [[sestertium]], Caes.: [[decies]] sestertii, Liv.: sestertio [[decies]], Cic.: [[sexagies]] sestertio, Suet.: a trecentis sestertiis (300 S.) ad-ūsqueduo sestertia (2000 S.) sūmptuscenarum [[propagatus]] est, Gell. 2, 24, 15. – 2) übtr.: a) nummo sestertio od. sestertio nummo, [[für]] eine geringe [[Summe]], [[für]] eine [[Kleinigkeit]], nummo sestertio od. sestertio nummo alci addici, Cic. Rab. [[Post]]. 45. Val. Max. 5, 2, 10: sestertio nummo venire (verkauft [[werden]]), Liv. epit. 55: alqm sestertio nummo damnare, Aur. Vict. 8, 2, 3: ut [[quae]] maxima [[inter]] [[nos]] habentur, [[divitiae]], [[gratia]], [[potentia]], sestertio nummo aestimanda sint, Sen. ep. 95, 59. – b) [[amplo]] sestertio, [[für]] vieles [[Geld]], basilisci reliquias [[amplo]] sestertio comparare, Solin. 27, 53. – B) in der [[Kaiserzeit]] [[auch]] eine Kupfermünze, 4 Asse an [[Wert]], Plin. 34, 4. – II) in der ökonom. [[Sprache]] [[als]] Maßbestimmung, dritthalb [[Fuß]] [[Tiefe]], [[sat]] erit bipalio vertere, [[quod]] vocant rustici [[sestertium]], Colum. de arb. 1, 5.

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