Image: Byzantine Dardanelles Customs Law

Description: Law of the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius I (491-518 AD) regulating passage through Dardanelles' customs. Marble, found in Abydos, Canakkale, Turkey. Currently on display in the Istanbul Archaelogical Museum. The following translation to English is also displayed there: "... Whoever dares to violate these regulations shall no longer be regarded as a friend, and he shall be punished. Besides, the administrator of the Dardanelles must have the right to receive 50 golden Litrons, so that these rules, which we make out of piety, shall never ever be violated. We wish that the administrator never engage in any secret or evil activity, and that he will always be alert, efficient and hard-working. We have decreed that our orders be engraved on stone plaques and that these be erected as near as possible to the seashore, so that all men who want to may see them, and so that all other men we want to see them can see them... ... The distinguished governor and major of the capital, who already has both hands full of things to do, has turned to our lofty piety in order to reorganize the entry and exit of all ships through the Dardanelles, and change the rules which have been obeyed by sailors of the last 22 years. Starting from our day and also in the future, anybody who wants to pass through the Dardanelles must pay the following: - All wine merchants who bring wine to the capital (Constantinopolis), except Cilicians, have to pay the Dardanelles officials 6 follis and 2 sextarius of wine. - In the same manner, all merchants of olive-oil, vegetables and lard must pay the Dardanelles officials 6 follis. Cilician sea-merchants have to pay 3 follis and in addition to that, 1 keration (12 follis) to enter, and 2 keration to exit. - All wheat merchants have to pay the officials 3 follis per modius, and a further sum of 3 follis when leaving."
Title: Byzantine Dardanelles Customs Law
Credit: Own work by uploader, http://bjornfree.com/galleries.html
Author: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen
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