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Talentum

Talentum is a Latin term used to denote a large unit of mass in ancient economies and, by extension, a large monetary unit. It derives from the Greek talanton, a weight and money unit, and appears in Latin literature in both senses. The exact value of a talentum varied by region and era; in many systems it equaled several tens of kilograms, commonly described as 60 minas, with a mina typically ranging from about 0.5 to 1 kilogram, depending on local standards. As a result, a talentum was generally in the order of 25–60 kilograms.

In economic and administrative contexts, talenta were used to measure large payments, taxes, and shipments of

In literary and biblical sources, talentum appears as a monetary unit, with the plural talenta used for

Today, talentum is encountered mainly in historical and philological discussions of ancient weights and currencies. The

bullion.
They
served
as
a
convenient
unit
for
accounting
large
sums
of
wealth
and
for
valuing
commodities
such
as
silver
and
gold.
sums
of
money
and,
by
extension,
for
the
concept
of
wealth
entrusted
to
individuals.
The
term
also
appears
in
Latin
inscriptions
and
texts
as
a
weight
designation.
term
contributed
to
later
interpretations
of
talent
as
a
metaphor
for
natural
ability,
a
usage
that
developed
in
various
languages
from
the
biblical
idea
of
“talents”
as
entrusted
wealth.