The modius was a Roman dry measure used primarily to measure out flour and grain. It was one - third of an amphora (a tall jar in which wine, oil, and other products were carried in the holds of ships). The modius symbolizes an abundant grain supply. One often encounters the word "corn" when reading about the classical world. When modern Americans refer to corn, they mean the maize plant or its product. Maize is a grain that is indigenous to the New World. When the ancients referred to corn, they meant "grain", usually wheat or barley. They would say "ears of corn" where we would say "heads of grain."
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