Skip to main content

BANCA MONTE DEI PASCHI DI SIENNA



We know of modern banking to be easy and accessible, and safe. The words comes to our mind when we hear banking: ATM, deposit, withdraw, check, bills, credit cards, and such. What would be like without banking, or what would it be like when you were the one to establish the first ever bank and will continue to serve for 547 years and still counting!

Principles of banking were used to ancient civilizations like Rome, like lending and borrowing money or such. At the time, Roman Empire is expanding, thus the development of banking also widened.

But not until March 4,  1472, the first ever established bank was in the city state of Sienna, Italy by its magistrates. In fact, it is the 3rd largest bank in Italy and the oldest surviving bank in the world! The name of the bank is Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena. Continuing its service and operation since the year it was founded.

Published: January


Comments

Popular Articles

ROMAN EMPEROR: BEING NICE

Being an Emperor of a great big empire, requires attitude and ability! Would a nice person succeed as a Roman Emperor? The possibility is limited, as we can read throughout the history of the Roman Empire, few passed the requirements to be called “nice-person-successful-emperor”. I'm not saying it's not possible, but a leader must show aggressiveness in cases that needs seriousness and haste. Being a all-nice-person emperor, hmmm not that good enough. I'm saying an emperor of a great and big empire needs to master all attitude, to use each for different purpose and usage. Published: January 27, 2019

EMPEROR NERO AND TWO SMALL GLASS CUPS

Glass has very unique and enigmatic tale to offer to the modern society. People of old used obsidian – a natural black volcanic glass for arrowheads, knives, ornaments, and as tools. However, there was a man so enchanted by its beauty, who was willing to pay a great sum of money to have it. In 37-68 A.D., this was the time of extravagance and excessive indulgence, a luxury-loving Emperor of Ancient Rome named Nero was so delighted by the beauty of these sparkling brightness that he spent 6,000 sesterces for only two small cups. That is about $2,500 on today’s currency! Who can deny the glistening luster of glass, as well as its many, many usages! Glass comes from rather peculiar properties, you see its base is pure silica sand. Now, what is silica sand? It is composed of the mineral quartz, which is a compound of the elements silicon and oxygen. To make it even better, soda ash and lime or potash and lime are added to the sand. These mixture act as fluxing agents or in ot...