Sparta, tradition says, banned gold and silver coins and used heavy iron money instead.
Xenophon explained that wealth became too bulky to hide. The law was credited to the semi-legendary Lycurgus.
More amazing facts
- 814 BC · 753 BC · 146 BC Carthage is older than Rome.
- 782 BC · 753 BC Yerevan is 29 years older than Rome.
- 776 BC · 753 BC The Olympic Games are older than Rome: the first were held in 776 BC, and by tradition the city was founded only 23 years later.
- 776 BC The first Olympic champion on record was a cook.
- 776 BC · 771 BC The first Olympic Games and the fall of China's Western Zhou are five years apart: the games traditionally date to 776 BC, and in 771 BC nomads sacked the Zhou capital, opening the Spring and Autumn period.
- 776 BC · 393 · 1896 The break in the Olympics lasted longer than the ancient Games themselves: they ran for about 1,170 years, traditionally from 776 BC to AD 393, and the next Games came only in 1896 — 1,503 years later.