The psychology of a ruptured table

money dealers during the Renaissance banking boom of the 16th century in Florence, Italy operated from a table or bench known as a “banca”. Running out of money would soon attract the attention of the authorities, who would seek out irresponsible dealers and break or “rottura” their table, loudly decrying the dealer as “banca rotta!”. Quite literally breaking the bank.

To this day a person pronounced in law unable to pay his or her debts