The
year was 41 B.C. Mark Anthony, a member of the Roman Triumvirate, was
eyeing Egypt to finance his plans of conquest. In one of the most celebrated
banquets documented in literature, Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, convinces
him that Egypt possesses a heritage and wealth that put it above subjugation.
Cleopatra
promises Anthony the most expensive dinner in history – failing
which, he can conquer Egypt. She crushes a large pearl from a pair of
earrings, mixes them in wine and drinks it. A stunned Anthony is offered
the same – he refuses, acceding defeat!
Pliny
the Elder writes in his famous Natural History that the two pearls were
worth an estimated 60 million sesterces, or 1,875,000 ounces of fine
silver (with silver at $5 an ounce that would be $9,375,000).
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