Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Crumena

Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary, and Greek Lexicon (Rich, 1849)

CRUME'NA (βαλάντιον). A leathern pouch for carrying money, slung over the neck by a strap (Plaut. Asin. iii. 3. 67 Id. Truc. iii. 1. 7.), so as to hang in front of the person, or at his back; whence Ballio, in Plautus (Pseud. i. 2. 38.), tells the slave to walk in front, that he might keep an eye upon the crumena, which was slung behind him. It was from the practice of carrying money about in this manner, that the Greek expression βαλαντιότομος, equivalent to our cut-purse, derived its origin and meaning. The illustration (Crumena/1.1) is from a figure on a bronze lamp.

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  Crumena/1.1