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The Aerarium and its Officials Under the Empire

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 September 2012

Fergus Millar
Fergus Millar
Affiliation:
All Souls College, Oxford.
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Extract

No analysis of the political character of the Empire can avoid the question of finance. The various sources of revenue of the Emperor and the res publica, the role of the private wealth of the Emperor, the nature of his control over public funds, the question of how and when various public revenues were taken by him—a satisfactory political interpretation of the early Empire must take account of all these.

This article attempts merely to take a second preliminary step towards such an interpretation. Its aim is to set out as clearly as possible the evidence as to the nature of the Aerarium and the functions of its officials, and, above all, to avoid the anachronistic approach which our language itself so readily invites. Not all anachronistic views of the subject have had the beautiful obviousness of Ramsay's contribution: even to speak of the ‘world-wide financial administration’ of the Aerarium will prove to be misleading.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Roman Studies , Volume 54 , Issue 1-2 , November 1964 , pp. 33 - 40
Copyright
Copyright ©Fergus Millar 1964. Exclusive Licence to Publish: The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

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References

1 See ‘The Fiscus in the first two centuries’, JRS LIII (1963), 29.

2 Sutherland, C. H. V., ‘Aerarium and Fiscus during the Early Empire’, AJPh LXVI (1945), 151 ff.Google Scholar, on p. 154.

3 See Platner-Ashby, , Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome (Oxford, 1929), 463–5.Google Scholar

4 ibid., 506–8.

5 Suet., Div. Aug. 29; CIL VI 1316 = ILS 41; CIL X 6087 = ILS 886.

6 CIL VI 937 = ILS 3326.

7 See Carettoni, G., Colini, A. M., Cozza, L., Gatti, G., La pianta marmorea di Roma antica (Forma urbis Romae), X Repartizione del Commune di Roma (Rome, 1960)Google Scholar, Tab. XXI fr. 18d, Text p. 75.

8 Lugli, G., Monumenti minori del Foro Romano (Rome, 1947), 29f.Google Scholar He uses (p. 32) the expression ‘aerarium sanctum o sanctius aerarium’. A few texts (Livy XXVII, 10, 11; ad Att. VII, 21, 2; Caesar, BC I, 14, 1) seem to show that there was a physical subdivision of the Aerarium called the ‘aerarium sanctius’. It is not clear whether this is what Lugli means.

9 CIL I2 810 = XIV 153 = ILS 892. This dates to before 28 B.C. See PIR 2 A 54.

10 CIL VI 1265 = ILS 5937.

11 XXIII, 14, 5–6.

12 XLIII, 48, 3.

13 CIL I2 593 = ILS 6085 = Riccobono, FIRA 2 I. 13, ll. 46–7.

14 Tac., Ann. XIII, 29; Suet., Div. Aug. 36; Dio LIII, 2,1. See CIL XIV 2604 = ILS 965. Cf. Mommsen, Staatsrecht II3, 558, n. 1.

15 Tac. and Suet. locc. citt. (n. 14); Dio LIII, 32, 2.

16 Tac. loc. cit. (n. 14); Suet. Div. Claud. 24; Dio LX, 24, 1–3; CIL VI 1403 = ILS 966.

17 Tac., Ann. XIII, 28–9; Dio LX, 24, 1–2. See CIL VI 1945 = ILS 1933.

18 Tac., Hist, IV, 9: ‘praetores aerarii (nam tum a praetoribus tractabatur aerarium) …’

19 I. L. Alg. I, 1286: ‘[Fl]avio Atilio Theodoto v.c. praefecto aerari populi R., legato provinciae Numidiae.’ For the date, I.L. Alg. I, 1276. Compare CIL XI 4181 = ILS 1233: ‘Iulio Eubulidae c.v. corr. Tusciae, praefecto aerarii s. Saturni.’

20 Diz. Epig. I, 305–7.

21 Verr. II/III, 79/183.

22 Plut. Cato Minor, 16.

23 See Jones, A. H. M., ‘The Roman Civil Service (Clerical and Sub-Clerical Grades),’ JRS XXXIX (1949), 38Google Scholar = Jones, , Studies in Roman Government and Law (Oxford, 1960), 151Google Scholar. Cf. Fraenkel, E., Horace (Oxford, 1957), 14–15.Google Scholar

24 Livy XXXIX, 4, 8; Sisenna Fr. 117 Peter; Suet. Div. Jul. 28; Cic. ad fam. XII, i, i; Serv. ad Aen. VIII, 322, ad Georg. II, 502. Cf. Cic. de leg. III, 20/46.

25 Jos, AJ XIV, 10Google Scholar, 10 (219).

26 CIL I2 587 = Riccobono FIRA 2 1, 10 ad fin.; Dio XLV, 17, 3. Cf. (?) Varro LL v, 42. See Lugli, o.c. (n. 8), 38.

27 Plut. Cato Minor, 17.

28 Schol. Bob. Sest. p. 310 Or. = 140 Stangl. The view, argued by Mommsen, , Staatsrecht II 3, 546Google Scholar, n.2, and normally accepted since, that the law made it obligatory to deposit copies of proposed legislation in the Aerarium seems to me unsound. It rests in effect only on Cic. de leg. III, 4/11. For a conclusive disproof of Mommsen, see von Schwind, F., Zur Frage der Publikation im römischen Recht (1940), 26 f.Google Scholar

29 Suet., Div Aug. 94.

30 Tac, Ann. III, 51, 3; Dio LVII, 20, 4.

31 Dio LIV, 36. 1.

32 Dio LVII, 16, 2.

33 CIL X 5182 = ILS 972. See PIR 1 U 600.

34 CIL XI 6163 = ILS 967. See PIR 2 C 1257.

35 CIL VI 916 = VI 31201, where the reading ‘tabulariorum publicorum’ in Anon. Einsiedl. (the only authority for the inscription), first rejected by Mommsen and then, in Staatsrecht II3, 558, n. 3, accepted, is restored, unjustifiably in my opinion.

36 Tac., Ann. XIII, 29, 5.

37 Pliny, Ep. I, 10, 9.

38 Val. Max. 11, 8, 1; Appian, BC I, 137; CIL I2 582 = Bruns, Fontes 7 no. 8, l. 17.

39 SHA vita Marc. Ant. 9, 7–8; vita Gord. 4, 8. Cf. Serv., ad Georg. II, 502.

40 Pro Flacco 18/43.

41 Plut., QR 43 (Mor. 27s B–C). For further references, Mommsen, Staatsrecht II3, 553–4, III3, 1151–3.

42 CIL I2 593 = ILS 6085 = Riccobono, FIRA 2 I 13, ll. 46–9.

43 Pro Flacco 32/80.

44 Dio LX, 10, 3.

45 Plut. QR 42 (Mor. 275 A).

46 CIL II 1964 = ILS 6089 = Riccobono, FIRA 2 1 24, col. 4, ll. 34f. Compare the fragmentary provision of the lex agraria of III B.C., CIL I2 585 = Bruns, Fontes 7, no. 11, l. 46.

47 Two extant Republican laws, the Lex Bantina (CIL I2 582 = Bruns, Fontes 7, no. 8, l. 11) and lex repetundarum (CIL I2 583 = Bruns, Fontes 7, no. 10, l. 57) provide for the naming of praedes to the quaestors of the Aerarium by a man who has suffered a fine or condemnation.

48 e.g. Livy XXIX, 37, 12.

49 Val. Max. 11, 9, 1. See Broughton, , MRR I, 82.Google Scholar

50 Tac., Ann. XIII, 28, 3.

51 Suet., Div. Aug. 32.

52 LIII, 2, 3.

53 Plut., Cato Minor, 17, 2.

54 Dio LXVI, 10, 2a (Vespasian); LXIX, 8, 12 (Hadrian); LXXI, 32, 2 (Marcus Aurelius). See JRS LIII (1963), 32.

55 Tac., Ann. XIII, 23. The interpretation of this passage is by no means secure.

56 Livy IV, 15, 8; XXXVIII, 60, 8; Dion. Hal. XI, 46, 4.

57 Plut., Cato Minor, 17, 6.Google Scholar See Dio XLVII, 6, 4.

58 Tac., Ann. XIII, 28, 5.

59 Dio LX, 4, 4. The reference in Dio's phrase is made clear by other passages—XLIII, 48; LIII, 2, 1; LX, 10, 3.

60 Pliny, Ep. I, 10, 9–10.Google Scholar

61 Suet., Div. Claud. 9, 2. Compare lex Malacitana (CIL II 1964 = ILS 6089 = Riccobono, FIRA 2 1 no. 24), col. 4, ll. 50f.

62 Suet., Nero 17. Compare Suet., Dom. 9: ‘reos, qui ante quinquennium proximum apud aerarium pependissent, universos discrimine liberavit.’

63 Pliny, Pan. 36.

64 Dig. XLIX. 14. 13 and 15. See JRS LIII (1963), 35.

65 See Dig. XLIX. 14. 42 pr.

66 Dig. II. 15. 8. 19.

67 Dig. XLIX. 14. 15. 4.

68 Dig. XLIX. 14. 42. 1.

69 Corpus Glossariorum Latinarum III, p. 31, l. 50f.

70 See MacMullen, R., Soldier and Civilian in the Later Roman Empire (Harvard, 1963), 54 f.Google Scholar

71 Cic. ad Att. III, 24, 1; Q.f. II, 3, 1; in Pis. 2/5; Suet. Div. Jul. 18; See Jones, A. H. M., ‘The Aerarium and the Fiscus’, JRS XL (1950), 22Google Scholar = Studies, 101.

72 Cic. in Pis. 35/86; de imp. Pomp. 13/37. Note also the fact that Cicero was able to draw money in his brother's name from the Aerarium while the latter was in his third year as proconsul of Asia, Q.f. I, 3, 7.

73 de prov. cons. II/28; cf. Pro Balbo 27/61 and Plut. Caes. 28. It is not clear whether this means that more money would be sent out from Rome or that he would be allowed to spend more in the province.

74 Plut. Pomp. 25; cf. App. Mith. 94.

75 See Jones, o.c. (n. 71), 23 = Studies, 103–4.

76 Dio LIII, 15, 4–5.

77 Tac., Agric. 42.3; Dio LXXVIII, 22, 5.

78 Suet., Div. Aug. 36.

79 Jones, o.c. (n. 71), 24 = Studies, 104–5.

79a Compare Orosius VII, 7, 8: ‘(Nero) centies centena milia sestertium annua ad expensas a senatu conferri sibi imperavit.’

80 Dio LXXI, 33, 2.

81 Vita Com. 9, 1.

82 Frontinus, De aquae ductu 100.

83 Fam. V, 20, 7.

84 Pro Balbo 28/63.

85 Nepos, Att. 6.

86 CIL III 6687 = ILS 2683. See PIR 2 A 406.

87 CIL III 6983 = ILS 5883 = IGR III 83. See H. Pflaum, G., Carrières Procuratoriennes (Paris, 1960–1961)Google Scholar, no. 21.

88 ILS 8860 = OGIS 494. Revised text and commentary, Ins. Didyma. 272.

89 CIL VI 8409.

90 CIL VI 1962 = ILS 1943.

91 Dig. IV, 6, 32.

92 Pliny, Ep. IV, 12, 2–4. See below.

93 e.g. Gellius, Aulus, NA IV, 18Google Scholar, 7–12; Verr. II/I, 14/36–7; 21/57.

94 Fam. v, 20, 2; Ad Att. VI, 7, 2; In Pis. 25/61.

95 Dig. XLVIII, 13. 11. 6.

96 Suet., Calig. 16; Dio LIX, 9, 4.

97 Suet., Div. Aug. 28; Dio LIII, 30, 1–2.

98 Tac., Ann. I, II, 5–6; Suet., Div. Aug. 101; Dio LVI, 33, 2. See Jones, o.c. (n. 71), 23 = Studies, 103–4.

99 Plut., Cato Minor 18, 9.

100 Livy III, 69, 8; IV, 22, 2; VII, 23, 3.

101 Pliny, NH XIX, 40.Google Scholar

102 Pliny, NH XXXIII, 55–6.Google Scholar

103 Varro, , LL v, 183.Google Scholar

104 See e.g. Plut., Tib. Grac. 10, 5Google Scholar; Pro Fonteio 2/3.

105 VI, 13. See Jones, o.c. (n. 71), 22 = Studies, 101.

106 CIL 12 587 = Bruns, Fontes 7 no. 12 = Riccobono, , FIRA 2 I, 10Google Scholar, ll. 2–4.

107 Cic., Phil., IX, 7/16.

108 CIL VI 32323 = Riccobono, , FIRA 2 1 40Google Scholar = Ehrenberg, and Jones, , Documents 30B, ll. 61–3.Google Scholar For the s.c. of 11 B.C., establishing the curatores aquarum, see text to n. 82.

109 CIL VI 32326 l. 29 (cf. VI 32324 l. 5.)

110 LIII, 22, 4. See JRS LIII (1963), 41. Marcus Aurelius' request to the Senate to vote funds (see text to n. 80) suggests that, in purist theory though not in practice, the sole right of the Senate was still recognized.

111 SHA, vita Aurel. 9, 7Google Scholar; 12, 1; 20, 8.

112 Ad Herenn. I, 12, 21. See Broughton, , MRR I, 575–6.Google Scholar

113 Tac., Ann. I, 75, 3–4.

114 Tac., Hist., IV, 9.

115 Pliny, Ep. IV, 12Google Scholar, 2–4.

116 Dio LV, 25, 6.

117 Dio LX, 10, 4. Compare the recovery of public money by C. Sentius Saturninus as consul of 19 B.C., Vell. Pat. 11, 92 (‘regessisset in aerarium pecunias publicas’).

118 Tac., Ann. XIII, 31, 2. The nearest parallel to this phrase seems to be Livy VII, 27, 4 and XXIII, 48, 9.

119 Tac., Ann. XV, 18, 4.

120 Tac., Hist., IV, 40; see IV, 9.

121 Pliny, Ep. II, 1, 9Google Scholar; Pan. 62, 2.

122 Dio LXVIII, 2, 3.

123 Note Nic. Dam., FGrH 90 F. 130, xviii: in 44 Octavian sent for the money which Caesar had sent to Asia for the Parthian war, and when it arrived, along with the tribute of Asia, abstracted what fell as inheritance to himself and put the public money in the Aerarium.