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Money as Transformation

The neighboring Greeks were aware of the Lydians’ success with coins and commerce and,

coincidentally, had just discovered silver deposits near Athens. Before long, the Greeks began

minting silver coins, and Greece became the center of trade for the eastern Mediterranean

world. As the trade business grew, it became a tremendous source of wealth.

Money not only changed the way business was conducted in Greece, it also changed Greek

society and extended Greece’s ties to the outside world. As a result, social relationships that

were once based on established connections and mutual survival no longer bound people

together.

As money changed the relationships between the Greek people and the world around them, it

also changed their values and beliefs. As wealth grew, people began to have more leisure time

and to pursue new forms of artistic and intellectual endeavors. For the first time, because of the

influence of money, creative human potential could be taken to new heights. In ancient Greece,

money gave rise to intellectual, artistic, and spiritual transformation.

Excerpt from Money Magic by Deborah L. Price 17