What wages in ancient Athens can tell us about the silver price today

Compared with the last few thousand years, silver is hugely undervalued, says Dominic Frisby. But it does make sense to own a little.

170302-parthenon-b

The cost of building the Parthenon was 469 talents, or about £5.6m.
(Image credit: Slow Images)

Today we look at the wages paid to oarsmen on warships in ancient Athens in 450BC.

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Dominic Frisby

Dominic Frisby (“mercurially witty” – the Spectator) is as far as we know the world’s only financial writer and comedian. He is the author of the popular newsletter the Flying Frisby and is MoneyWeek’s main commentator on gold, commodities, currencies and cryptocurrencies. He has also taken several of his shows to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

His books are Daylight Robbery - How Tax Changed our Past and Will Shape our Future; Bitcoin: the Future of Money? and Life After the State - Why We Don't Need Government

Dominic was educated at St Paul's School, Manchester University and the Webber-Douglas Academy Of Dramatic Art. You can follow him on X @dominicfrisby