Igolide Elagudluza Izintaba
Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! eSpain
“Ithempeli elikhulu lobumba elineziqongo eziningana liqoshwe entabeni. Igolide neRoma yikho okwabangela lokhu. Ngenxa yokuhamba kwesikhathi nangenxa yobuhle seliye lathethelelwa.”—UPedro García Trapiello.
ENYAKATHO-NTSHONALANGA yeSpain kunedwala eliyinqaba eliqoshwe echobeni legolide. Izihlahla ze-chestnut eziluhlaza zenza kube sengathi amawa ashona evumbuka nezinqaba eziphezulu ziye zaqoshwa amandla emvelo. Ukuvuleka kwemihubhe ngezikhathi ezithile kuphela okwambula izimfihlakalo zasendulo. Lapha, endaweni manje ebizwa ngokuthi iLas Médulas, kwake kwaba nemayini yegolide enkulu kunazo zonke eMbusweni WaseRoma.
Sekuyisikhathi eside igolide likhanga abantu, okuye kwabashukumisela ukuba benze imizamo emikhulu ukuze balithole. Incwadi yeBhayibheli kaJobe ichaza ukuthi ezinkulungwaneni ezidlule zeminyaka ‘abantu babemba imigodi yezimayini, bambe izintaba bashone phansi futhi benze imihubhe emadwaleni’ befuna igolide, isiliva namatshe ayigugu.—Jobe 28:1-10, Today’s English Version.
Emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva lapho iRoma ibusa umhlaba, igolide lalisaziswa kakhulu. UMbusi u-Augustus wayefuna umnotho ozinzile, futhi odenariyu besiliva nama-aureus egolide kwakuyizinhlamvu zemali ezinokwethenjelwa ayezidinga ukuze athuthukise ezentengiselwano zaseRoma. Ukuze kwenziwe izinhlamvu ezanele, wayedinga igolide nesiliva. Ngakho-ke, ngokushesha nje ngemva kokunqoba kwamabutho aseRoma kwakulandela abahloli bendawo abafuna igolide.
Lapho amabutho ekugcineni enqoba inyakatho-ntshonalanga yeSpain, ngaphambi nje kokuqala kweNkathi Evamile, athola izindawo ezintsha ezinegolide. Ngeshwa, leli tshe eliyigugu laligqibeke ezintabeni enhlabathini eqinile lapho lalingaphumi khona kalula igolide. Kwakuzothatha iminyaka engamakhulu amabili nesigamu yokusebenza kanzima nokujuluka ukuze kutholakale ingcebo efihlekile.
Nokho, amaRoma ayenesibindi. Izisebenzi zazitholakala kalula, futhi amasu okumba ngaleso sikhathi—nakuba ayekhathaza—avula amathuba okwenziwa kwalo msebenzi. Isu lawo kwakuwukumba igolide ngokugugula intaba kancane kancane. Ukuze afeze inhloso yawo, akha imisele engaphezu kwengu-50, akha amadamu amaningi amakhulu phezulu ezintabeni, futhi amba imihubhe engamakhulu amakhilomitha.
Lapho sekwakhiwe uxhaxha lwemihubhe ekujuleni kwentaba, onjiniyela babeyigcwalisa amanzi azovalelwa. La manzi ayephuma ngomfutho ayegugula indawo enkulu. Inhlabathi namadwala okwakunegolide kwakukhukhuleka kwehle nentaba, lapho igolide lalihlukaniswa khona nenhlabathi ngokuyigezela endishini nangokuyisefa. Yonke le nqubo yayiphindwa lapho kwakhiwa eminye imihubhe.
Ingabe lokhu kwakuwufanele umzamo? Ngesineke amaRoma amba amathani angu-800 egolide eLas Médulas. Ukuze zithole lonke lelo golide, izinkulungwane zezisebenzi zazigudluza izintaba ngokoqobo—indawo engaphezu kwama-cubic meter angu-240 000 000. Futhi endaweni ngayinye ezaziyimba engamathani ayishumi, zazithola amagremu angu-30 egolide.
Namuhla kusele imihubhe kuphela namazombezombe ezintaba ezambiwa, eziye zahlelenjwa ukuguguleka kwenhlabathi futhi zambozwa amahlathi ezihlahla ze-chestnut. Kuyindida ukuthi la ma-chestnut anoshukela amaRoma awatshengisa abaseSpain aye ahlala isikhathi eside kunegolide.
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Uhlamvu lwegolide (i-“aureus”) olunekhanda loMbusi u-Augustus
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ILas Médulas, lapho kwakunemayini yegolide enkulu kunazo zonke eMbusweni WaseRoma
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Ingxenye yesimiso semihubhe yasendulo
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All coins: Musée de Normandie, Caen, France