I am preparing an article about money and trade in the Homeric world these days. To me as a political and economic journalist it's like having holidays from the daily shit show. You can follow the struggle on morals and ethics during the pre-classical era and its spill-overs into the early days of the Greek civilization. To those of you who are interested in this stuff I translated some considerations into English.
The main takeaway is the important meaning of making gifts to stabilize the social fundament and relations between individuals.
Here is an excerpt:
Gifts As A Medium Of Exchange
The meaning of money and trade in Homer's Iliad is a complex issue. On the one hand, the poem does not explicitly mention money or barter very often. Instead, it focuses on the exchange of goods and services through gift-giving. This system of gift-giving was an important part of Homeric society, and it was used to cement political alliances, to show hospitality, and to express gratitude.
On the other hand, there are a few passages in the Iliad that suggest that money was not entirely absent from the Homeric world. For example, in Book IX, Achilles refuses to fight in the war unless he is given a ransom of 12 oxen, 100 sheep, 10 talents of gold, and a chariot with a team of horses. This suggests that money was at least sometimes used as a way to measure the value of goods and services.
It is likely that the meaning of money and trade in Homer's Iliad was different from what it is today. In the Homeric world, money was not used as a universal medium of exchange. Instead, it was one of many ways to exchange goods and services. Gift-giving was still the most common way to do business, and money was often used as a way to measure the value of gifts.
The meaning of money and trade in Homer's Iliad is still a matter of debate among scholars. However, it is clear that money was not as important in the Homeric world as it is in the modern world. Gift-giving was still the most common way to exchange goods and services, and money was often used as a way to measure the value of gifts.