ORIGINS OF MONEY
The origin of the word “money” has an interesting history. In Roman mythology, Juno Regina was supposed to be the wife of Jupiter, and the queen of the heavens. Juno assumed many characters and had many diverse responsibilities. She watched over all women, protected maidenhood, and guided young women through the rituals of marriage. She was the savior, the war-goddess, the moon-goddess and, most importantly, the goddess of warning. To honor her, a temple was built on the Capitoline Hill, and when coinage was devised the Romans set up their mint in Juno’s temple. And thereafter, Juno Regina was known as Juno Moneta. The name “Moneta” was derived from the Latin word “moneo” which means “warn.” The word then crept into Old French with the spelling m-o-n-e-i-e, and eventually it took on the English spelling, m-o-n-e-y. It is interesting for us to note, in this history, that money is rooted in a word that means warn — especially so since, in…
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