Although the term "usury" today refers to interest rates that exceed legal limits, in former times it referred to the general practice of charging interest, regardless of the rate. The practice was considered a major sin by Catholic theologians, and usurers were consigned to the sixth circle of Dante's hell (Inferno, Canto XI). As we have shown (p. 4.7:1-14), interest is a natural feature of human action. Without it, the large-scale lending of money would be impossible, so that investment and economic growth would be severely limited. This essential function was frequently undertaken by Jews, who were not subject to the Catholic prohibition; as a consequence, Jewish families rose to prominence in banking circles over the centuries.