In the ancient world, religion was a crucial component to the growth and maintenance of a healthy economy. The backbone of a strong economy is only strong when people treat one another with respect and dignity, not objectification or exploitation. Religion and religiosity gave people, especially those of the ancient world, a code to live by which was universal; irrespective of a person's socio-economic class, status, or cultural heritage. This code of respect translated to life outside of the temple; regard for another person meant respecting their labor and, therefore, their property. That's not to say, however, that there isn't healthy competition. Within the structure of an economy, competition assures that the wages earned by the worker and the prices paid by the consumer reflect a fair accounting of the labor behind a given product. Religion influences people to lead ultimately better lives. And leading a better life is a direct pathway to success; especially economic success. Religiosity is a proponent of free, unbiased competition along with the preservation of property rights which encourages the people of a given community to engage with and, more importantly, behave well toward each other. This supposition is affirmed based on evidence that is part of the archeological record and is subsequently analyzed in greater detail by three scholars of antiquity through their respective case studies. .
In his article titled, "Temples, Credit, and the Circulation of Money," John K. Davies, Emeritus Professor of Archaeology, Classics, and Egyptology at the University of Liverpool, focuses on several economic factors of ancient Greek micro-states. More specifically, he assesses the attitudes toward the adoption of coined money as well as the role of the temple's wealth within the context of the collective economy. To analyze such questions, Davies utilizes, ten epigraphical texts that are associated with the temple treasury which traces the varying shifts in attitude on the stewardship of its wealth.
