Inscribed lead weights of Roman Raphia

Alla Kushnir-Stein,

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Abstract

There is a group of inscribed Palestinian weights from the Roman period which is usually attributed to the city of Gaza, but which in fact belongs to Raphia, Gaza's southern neighbour. The weights of this group are of a peculiar anthropoid shape and their inscriptions mention APXH (a magistracy) alongside the names o/ agoranomoi. About a dozen anthropoid weights published up to now come in the units of a litra, half a litra and a quarter of a litra. Five new weights can now be added to the group - two are also anthropoid in shape, but a further two are square and one is rectangular. The square weights are dated and are consequently of historical importance since they appear to be the latest Palestinian weights mentioning agoranomoi.

Keywords

• agoranomoi
• litra