Historical-Political Dissertation on Coins, Both Functional and Commemorative

brought forth above. And what does not seem likely to Stratemann, experience itself can render likely, since even today there are such peoples who use no money, or at least none properly so-called, as we shall hear in §. 8 and 13. See the elegant and curious dissertation of Mr. Wagenfeil on the monetary affairs of the ancient Romans, in whose Chapter 2 the most celebrated man denies that coins were in use before the flood; and long before him, the pious theologian Joh. Matthes in his Sarepta, Conc. 14, p. 742, likewise considered the same to be improbable.

§. VII.

§. 7. Concerning post-diluvian times.

As for post-diluvian times, however, it must be determined otherwise, as there is no doubt that coins were discovered soon enough, although the first author of them also remains uncertain, as writers vary greatly in asserting it. There are those who strive to prove from profane authors—Ovid, Pliny, and others—that Noah himself, the governor of the second millennium, stamped a certain coin after the flood in memory of it, holding him to be Janus (about whom hereafter). Yet Helvicus and Mart. Bohemus contradict this tradition, even though the same Matth. Hostus (l.c. p. 10) agrees with it; see Lankisch, Mahl-Schatz Treasure of Discourse, ch. 15, p. 474. At most, these are entirely mere and uncertain conjectures; see Mr. Mirus, l.c. p. 7. Indeed, the praised Wagenfeil judges that the coins of Adam, Eve, Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japhet, in the Promptuarium Iconum Collection of Images of the most notable men from the creation of the world to our times by Wilh. Rovillius, were taken from imagination, even the author’s preface not concealing this; nor does he leave in doubt what is handed down by the Jews concerning the medallions (a foreign word which antiquarians use today, see the following chapter, §. 2) of Abraham and other very ancient Hebrews. The same Mr. Wagenfeil, ch. 3, proposes his own conjecture on the origin of coins as follows: After the flood, and indeed shortly after that time when, through the confusion of languages sent by God to men, they were scattered throughout all the regions of the world, when the medium which all had used equally until then—the commerce of speech—was taken away, and everyone sought a seat and home for himself by whatever path was given, Divine Mercy wished to indulge mortals with that other thing of coins, the benefit of which