Zeuxias’ Monetary Deposits at the Sanctuary of Olympia

Abstract

This bronze plaque, found in 1879, contains two monetary deposits made by an individual named Zeuxias at the sanctuary of Olympia in the second half of the fifth century BC. It constitutes one of the few preserved documents of this type, making it a valuable testimony of banking activities at Panhellenic sanctuaries. Due to the fragmentary status of the text, a comparison with other analogous inscriptions and literary testimonies is here offered, with the aim of casting some light on the reason behind the deposit, and the formulaic language used.

Keywords

• Ancient Greek economy. Banking. Greek sanctuaries. Monetary deposits. Olympia