  We analyze the transmission and reflection of the electromagnetic wave
calculated from transfer matrix simulations of periodic arrangements of thin
metallic wires. The effective permittivity and the absorption is determined.
Their dependence on the wire thickness and the conductance of the metallic
wires is studied. The cutoff frequency or effective plasma frequency is
obtained and is compared with analytical predictions. It is shown that the
periodic arrangement of wires exhibits a frequency region in which the real
part of the permittivity is negative while its imaginary part is very small.
This behavior is seen for wires with thickness as small as 17 $\mu$m with a
lattice constant of 3.33 mm.
