ARGENTARIA Creta, pure white earth, found in Russia, and much esteemed for cleaning plate.
ARGENTARIUS is frequently used in Roman writers for a money-changer or banker. The argentarii were moneyed people, who made a profit either by the changing, or lending of money at interest. These had their tabernæ, or offices, in the forum Romanum, built there as early as the reign of L. Tarquinius Priscus. The argentarii and facinoratores were much hated on account of their covetousness and extortion.