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Main purpose for salt was good preservation. That's why it was extremely valuable.
by ponector 3y ago
Main purpose for salt was good preservation. That's why it was extremely valuable.
- jvanderbot 3y agoAbove comment said it was not scarce, not that it wasn't valuable.
- ponector 3y agoIf it is not scarce - the value is low.
- whoknowsidont 3y agoBreathable air is pretty valuable, at least for me. And it's definitely not that scarce on this planet.
- qwytw 3y agoWell it was. Supposedly it cost about the same as wheat by volume (and salt is ~50% more dense). So it was dirt cheap.
- Turing_Machine 3y agoYep. Some combination of drying, salting, and smoking was pretty much it. No refrigeration. No freezing. No canning. They used a lot of salt.
- dimitrios1 3y agoDon't forget about fermenting and pickling. They also had cellars and natural refrigerators.
- Ekaros 3y agoI think in that statement the "extremely" carries way too much weight. As it would imply price to be very high. Which then would mean that regular people would not have access. But they also widely used salt. So it could not have been extremely valuable as we understand. Or maybe gasoline is extremely valuable commodity now...
- ponector 3y agoYes, you can compare it with today's oil trade. Salt production and trade have been restricted, usually state-owned monopoly. Cities with salt mines like Salzburg became extremely rich, like oil countries today. Is gasoline valuable? Yes. Is affordable? Yes, but not for everyone. Same with salt back than.
- thaumasiotes 3y ago> Is affordable? Yes, but not for everyone. Same with salt back than. That isn't possible; someone who can't afford salt dies. It's like claiming that water "isn't affordable for everyone". It is, and it must be, because people who can't afford it also can't exist.
- lolinder 3y agoAccording to the article, a Roman soldier could buy about 15 (modern) pounds of salt with a single day's wages. Comparisons are very hard, but to put that in a bit of perspective: at an average salary of $60k/yr, a typical American today makes $165/day. So the cost in time for a Roman to buy salt would be roughly equivalent to if the price for salt today were $11/lb. That's more expensive than it is today (I just bought salt for ~$2.50/lb), but it's a far cry from extremely valuable.
- Retric 3y ago$60k/yr is a poor comparison because even modern Solders get paid less than average at a base but get room and board + many benefits. An Army private starts at, $1,833/mo that’s 21k/year. Even corporal is only getting $2,393/mo to start and cap at $2,906/mo w/ 10 years. https://www.military-ranks.org/army-pay https://www.military-ranks.org/army-pay So a modern soldier starts at ~24lb/day of your 2.50$/lb salt, but also has much cheaper alternatives.
- lolinder 3y agoLike I said, comparisons are hard. The point is that it wasn't a luxury good or an exceptionally valuable commodity, it was affordable.
- refurb 3y agoUS military is actually paid very well. You’re right about the wages, but single soldiers live on base (no housing costs) and are also fed (no food costs). That’s $1,833 per month is all discretionary which is why you hear the stories of 18 year old privates buying a new <insert fast car>. A $800/month car payment is no problem with plenty left over. And once you get married you can live off base and a Basic Housing Allowance. If stationed in San Francisco (unlikely, but a good example), you get $3,177/month as an E-2 (Private 2nd class). You get even more money with kids. Then add on top a full pension after 20 years and full healthcare coverage through the VA. Overall military pay is actually quite high.