Did you Know...

Did you know that the word salary comes from the word 'salarium' which is Latin for salt?

During the time of the Roman Empire it is believed that Roman Soldiers were paid partly in salt.

Salt was a precious and expensive commodity because of it's ability to preserve food. (There were no fridges in those days).  Because food could now be preserved using salt it meant that people no longer just had to rely on seasonal foods..  It also meant that food could be transported over longer distances.

Trading in salt made traders rich.  Roman and Chinese rulers levied taxes on salt.  When they needed to go to war they increased the taxes on salt to raise funds.  Venice fought and won a war with Genoa over salt.

Understanding the value of salt during this era helps us to understand what it meant to His disciples when Jesus said to them 'You are the salt of the earth' Mathew 5:13.  They were valuable and were to preserve the world around them from moral decay.

Today salt is universally available and relatively cheap and often iodized.

So are you worth your salt?

*Information source: Wikipedia


Have a merry Christmas and a very  happy new year!