Jobs and salariesJobs and salaries

RomeRome

ASAS

The Romans’ currency was the as: made of The Romans’ currency was the as: made of bronze, its weight was among 8 and 10 gramsbronze, its weight was among 8 and 10 grams

DENARIUSDENARIUS

Silver (3’9 g.): 16 ases

SESTERTIUSSESTERTIUS

Silver, 4 asesSilver, 4 ases

The Roman monetary systemThe Roman monetary system

The Roman monetary system spread over a The Roman monetary system spread over a large area of the European territory and this large area of the European territory and this allowed its reliability and perdurance. Also, allowed its reliability and perdurance. Also, in a time when the value of coins was in a time when the value of coins was restricted to the intrinsic value of metal, restricted to the intrinsic value of metal, most of them were not withdrawn from most of them were not withdrawn from circulation; new coins were added to the circulation; new coins were added to the previous ones, and many of them, after previous ones, and many of them, after centuries of use, and being recognized only centuries of use, and being recognized only by their size or colour of the metal, were by their size or colour of the metal, were used up to the Middle Ages.used up to the Middle Ages.

The cost of living in RomeThe cost of living in Rome It is not possible to set a CPI of the first century It is not possible to set a CPI of the first century

BC in Rome, but we can compare how hard was BC in Rome, but we can compare how hard was life in those days with current costs, since life in those days with current costs, since consumer staples, overheads, etc., are now the consumer staples, overheads, etc., are now the same as they were two thousand years ago. So, same as they were two thousand years ago. So, in Rome, there were more or less fixed wages, in Rome, there were more or less fixed wages, and people acquired a house according to their and people acquired a house according to their income, they bought food and clothing, paid for income, they bought food and clothing, paid for shows, etc.. However, there are some basic shows, etc.. However, there are some basic differences, as charges were more unstable than differences, as charges were more unstable than they are now, due to their dependence on they are now, due to their dependence on weather conditions (crops), natural disasters, weather conditions (crops), natural disasters, wars, etc. Likewise, social differences were much wars, etc. Likewise, social differences were much more outstanding than they are at present; a few more outstanding than they are at present; a few families were very wealthy, while the vast families were very wealthy, while the vast majority of the population was less prepared for majority of the population was less prepared for hard times.hard times.

Edict of maximum prices (301)Edict of maximum prices (301) Diocletian Diocletian

issued the edict issued the edict to stabilize the to stabilize the currency and currency and temper the temper the economic crisis.economic crisis.

It fixed It fixed maximum maximum prices for more prices for more than 1,300 than 1,300 products, and products, and established the established the cost of labor to cost of labor to produce themproduce them

PricesPrices 1 litre of oil: 3 sesterces1 litre of oil: 3 sesterces 1 litre of wine: 2 ases1 litre of wine: 2 ases 1 kg. of meat: 3 ases1 kg. of meat: 3 ases 1 kg. of turnips: 2 sesterces1 kg. of turnips: 2 sesterces 1 piece of bread: 2 ases.1 piece of bread: 2 ases. 1 pound pork = 12 denarii1 pound pork = 12 denarii 1 pound beef or lamb = 8 denarii1 pound beef or lamb = 8 denarii 1 modivm salt = 100 denarii1 modivm salt = 100 denarii 500 gr. of black olives = 4 denarii500 gr. of black olives = 4 denarii 300 gr. of cheese = 12 denarii300 gr. of cheese = 12 denarii 1/2 liter of wine falerno = 30 denarii1/2 liter of wine falerno = 30 denarii 1/2 liter of common wine = 8 denarii1/2 liter of common wine = 8 denarii

Clothing, housing and servicesClothing, housing and services A tunic: 15 sesterces.A tunic: 15 sesterces. A pair of shoes: 15 sesterces.A pair of shoes: 15 sesterces. A 300m2 house: 12,000 sesterces.A 300m2 house: 12,000 sesterces. Renting a room in an insula: 4 denarii per Renting a room in an insula: 4 denarii per

year.year. Renting a domus: 600 denarii per year.Renting a domus: 600 denarii per year. Price of an average slave: about 1500 Price of an average slave: about 1500

denarii, but “it” could reach twenty denarii, but “it” could reach twenty thousand sesterces.thousand sesterces.

A service in the brothel of Pompeii: 2-8 of A service in the brothel of Pompeii: 2-8 of ases.ases.

StaplesStaples The Romans diet was not very different from ours The Romans diet was not very different from ours

today. They ate vegetables and fruits, meat (salted today. They ate vegetables and fruits, meat (salted to be preserved), lentils, cheese, milk and bread. to be preserved), lentils, cheese, milk and bread. The peasants raised animals both for food and for The peasants raised animals both for food and for sacrifice, and pigs, cattle, chickens, eggs, milk, sacrifice, and pigs, cattle, chickens, eggs, milk, pigeons and fish could be found in the markets.pigeons and fish could be found in the markets.

Wheat has always been an essential food.4 sesterces were paid for a modium (two bushels, about 8'6 liters), but it could quadruple its value in times of famine.

Wine could cost between 12 and 48 sesterces per jar, depending on the quality and size of the jar. The wine of Hispania was cheaper, about eight sesterces per amphora, which suggests that it was not very good.

The main meal was taken at six o'clock. The famous puls was popular, a thick soup of wheat flour and porridge, completed with the consumption of vegetables, chickpeas and eggs. The average menu for a family of three would not represent more than 5 or 6 sesterces a day.

In a typical shopping list we could find: bread, flour, wine, vegetables, some cheese and fruit. The ancient Romans were frugal, they had two meals: ientaculum in the morning, when they ate bread, wine, olives, cheese.

More expensive food such as meat, milk, fish, meat, poultry, was not included in the diet of ordinary people and appeared only on the tables of the rich. And it is not necessary to say that high-income people had other expenses: luxury goods and travels, houses, and eventually, when the wealth exceeded five million sesterces a year, appeared the extravagance, the delicacies and exorbitant prices that generated so much criticism among the prudent and frugal Romans.

In thermopolia (sort of restaurants) meals were served at affordable prices, about 8, 12 or 20 sesterces.

The costs of animals were very different. A hare or a small kid could cost less than a sesterce in Hispania. Rabbits, hares and goats were abundant then in Hispania (Hispania literally means "land of rabbits", and they were very cheap: two or three sesterces).

Housing, clothing and accessoriesHousing, clothing and accessoriesThere was a great difference between what was paid for housing in urban and remote areas. In the first century B.C., renting a house in Rome could cost 6000 sesterces, whereas in the country it did not exceed 150 sesterces. Due to the high prices, there occurred the phenomenon of insulae: those who rented a house sub-rented a part of it to others and these ones to others and those to others… and this way many families lived crammed into wooden buildings up to 7 floors, and it was the source of fire and diseases.

As for clothes, a humble woman could dress herself with about 200 sesterces a year, while a woman of the upper middle class could spend 5000 sesterces in a linen suit. The accessories, hairdressing and jewelry were most appreciated too.

The average price of slaves varied between 1500 and 6000 sesterces, though specialized ones could cost much more. A courtesan could cost over 20,000 sesterces. Moreover, certain debts used to be paid in slaves and courtesans.

SalariesSalaries

APPROXIMATE AVERAGE SALARIES (1st century)APPROXIMATE AVERAGE SALARIES (1st century) LegionnaireLegionnaire 1 sesterces per month1 sesterces per month LaborerLaborer 120 sesterces a month120 sesterces a month ScribeScribe 150 sesterces a month150 sesterces a month CraftsmanCraftsman 360 sesterces a month360 sesterces a month CenturionCenturion 3287 sesterces a month3287 sesterces a month Professor (top level) (rhetor) 8219 sesterces a Professor (top level) (rhetor) 8219 sesterces a

monthmonth DoctorDoctor 32,876 sesterces a month32,876 sesterces a month Proconsul Proconsul 82,191 sesterces per month.82,191 sesterces per month.

In first-century Rome, during Augustus reign, people main occupation was in primary activities. Labourers could be both smallholders and employees of wealthy Romans’ large plantations. Their salary ranged between 3 and 5 sesterces a day (they were usually paid daily).

During the empire, holidays increased; they even spread during a third of the year. Also, the labourers were seasonal workers and they were unemployed in winter. Their working hours were reduced and therefore their income. So a labourer, farmer, peasant, employee, etc., worked an average of 200-250 days a year and had an average income of 800-1000 sesterces a year.

The case of legionnaires seems even more dramatic, because their pay did not exceed two sesterces a day. But let’s keep in mind that since Mario’s reform the legionnaire is a professional soldier and his support is provided by the state, so that the legionary does not survive necessarily on his pay. Many of them also had family responsibilities and were employed the whole year.

And yet, we must consider their shares in the spoils of war. Pillaging and looting were not infrequent because of Rome’s large capacity of war, and legionaries could make huge profits that way. They even had retirement aids and land distributions which formed colonies such as Emerita Augusta.

Moreover, as we see, a centurion, who was in charge of 100 men, could earn ten times more than a legionary.This is easily explained by the need to provide a greater financial capacity to commanding officers. The army leadership was very important in Rome, and the centurions not only carried out control and organization, which required a higher salary, but also needed to highlight their range among their subordinates.

Artisans, instead, had a higher income because they were engaged in technical activities of transformation and their market was no longer the simple maintenance. They could be cobblers, potters, jewelers, metalworkers, dealers, builders, and agricultural workers, i.e. cheese, leather, oil, sausages or flour makers.

Other urban workers could be: bakers, tailors, fullers, innkeepers, carriers, etc.It is understood that these activities had higher incomes because they are activities that require advanced technology and those services are offered to people in town who had a greater purchasing power.However, their income, not being very large, allowed them to survive well.

With regard to liberal professions, there are many ranges. Among teachers, for example, there were notable differences. A grammaticus, a basic-level teacher, had a salary as paltry as that of a labourer. Some could have twenty children in charge in small schools set up by themselves. The payment was agreed, individual and sometimes very delayed

Although the state did not take charge of the citizens education, Roman literacy level was very high for the time, because families were responsible of ensuring the children's attendance at schools.

In contrast, higher-level teachers had much higher salaries, because that was a type of education to which most citizens could not have access and was received by politicians’, noble families’, equites’ or publicans’ children. Oratory, politics, philosophy were specialized subjects and those who taught them received generous payments. A rhetor lived very comfortably, with over eight thousand sesterces monthly, unlike his basic-level colleagues, who barely reached one thousand.

Well-paid professionals were artists, comedians, dancers and actors, who could earn between 80 and 150 sesterces a day plus food and travel expenses, having also the security of a number of annual performances. Of course, most reputable artists could get quite more.

Professional gladiators also perceived large sums of money for their victories in public games

The medical profession has always been accompanied by great public distinction and remarkable incomes, because very few became doctors and it was an art on which lives of people depended.

Of course, only the wealthy had access to a doctor or drugs in that time and because of the exclusivity of the profession, the doctors were rich indeed, with incomes easily exceeding 30,000 sesterces per month.

Proconsuls’ case is different. This was an administrative charge rather than political, they were the provincial governors, and received a salary for administration, maintenance, expenses, travelling, etc.. Because they were at the head of a province, that income was high, between 50,000 and 100,000 sesterces a month. Many of them were former consuls or generals or came from senatorial families and illicit enrichment was not unusual, so real income could be much higher than the official.

Roman magistrates, i.e. those who held political office, did not perceive any salary. It was an honor being a magistrate: completing the cursus honorum, which ended in the consulate, was the highest honor to which a Roman could aspire; many even paid large sums of money to access charges and they spent fortunes on public works, military campaigns or in shows and charities to gain favor and recognition –and votes- of their fellow citizens.

A couple of country labourers or urban working parents with two children, that is a typical family, barely got a total income of two thousand sesterces, and their maintenance expenses consumed 80% of these resources. Also, clothing, footwear, education… should be added to this. Hence most popular classes had only a tunic and a pair of shoes and used them until they were torn out; their children did not have an access to education, even basic. City workers, migrated from the countryside, should also add the extremely expensive cost of housing. So, soon overcrowded insulae emerged, wooden buildings many levels high, sub-rented to poor workers, who lived there on minimum health conditions.

When Rome gathered around half a million people in Emperor Nero’s time, the government increased public support to avoid social conflicts and to keep the crowd calm. And so there was food distribution, the annona, gladiatorial games, summarized it all in the famous expression: panem et circenses: keeping the idles’ stomach full and their leisure entertained the authorities avoided any reaction and opposition to imperial policies.