Of Mice and Men. Financial and Occupational Differentiation among *Augustales
What was the economic role of *augustales in the large commercial hubs of the Roman Empire? Inscriptions offer us some insight in the structure, size, and usage of the economic capital gathered by them. One leitmotif here is the question of whether the wealth of *augustales aided them in enlarging t...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Anthropologie et Histoire des Mondes Antiques
2015-12-01
|
| Series: | Cahiers Mondes Anciens |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/mondesanciens/1534 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | What was the economic role of *augustales in the large commercial hubs of the Roman Empire? Inscriptions offer us some insight in the structure, size, and usage of the economic capital gathered by them. One leitmotif here is the question of whether the wealth of *augustales aided them in enlarging their social network or in obtaining an honorific position, and therefore furthered their integration in local society. The first section of this paper concerns itself with the importance of occupational and geographical differentiation. How were occupational titles important for the expression of social status? Are there any differences between the “regular” attestations of professions and those who recorded membership of a professional association? Which professions were common among *augustales? In which economic sectors do we encounter them? Are there indications of localised specialisation or geographical differentiation? Here, special attention is given to Ostia and Lugdunum. Finally, were *augustales involved in the imperial grain dole? A second section discusses which expenditures and benefactions express the wealth of *augustales, a proxy for their economic potential. How often do epigraphic attestations offer information on the role of *augustales as benefactors in their cities (and sometimes beyond)? What was the magnitude and typology of the gift? Besides benefactions, other ways were available to *augustales to stress the size of their economic capital. Did these other expenditures and benefactions overlap? How does this relate to other honours and/or privileges taken up by these *augustales? |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2107-0199 |