# The Influence of Wealth in Imperial Rome

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New York: The Macmillan Company, 1910.
CONTENTS
* CHAPTERPAGE
* Preface................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................i
* I.The Business Panic of 33 A.D.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................1
* II.Political Corruption and High Finance, Especially Under the Later Republic................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6
* 1.The Increasing Scramble for Wealth................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6
* 2.Bribery and Political Corruption................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................10
* 3.The Plundering by Governors in the Provinces................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
* 4.The Tax-farmers and Usurers Under the Republic................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................23
* III.Commerce, Trade and the Accumulation of Wealth................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................37
* 1.The Prosperity of the Early Empire, and the Process of Romanization................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................37
* 2.The Ancient Attitude Toward the Means of Gain................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................56
* 3.Great Fortunes and Millionaires................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................65
* 4.Banking and Interest................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................72
* 5.Sea Traffic and Foreign Commerce................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................80
* 6.Roman Roads and Land Travel................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................95
* 7.Internal Commerce and Industry................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................105
* 8.Local Trading, Especially in Rome................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................115
* 9.The Professional Careers as Means of Livelihood................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................122
* 10.Landed Property................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................138
* IV.The Expenditure of Wealth................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................152
* 1.Roman Luxury and Roman Sumptuary Laws................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................152
* 2.Debtors and Spendthrifts................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................163
* 3.Houses and Villas................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................167
* 4.Gourmandizing, Costly Funerals and Other Extravagances................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................174
* 5.The Delators................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................187
* V.Slaves, Freedmen and Plebeians................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................194
* 1.The Life of the Lower Classes in Rome................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................194
* 2.The Slaves................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................206
* 3.The Freedmen................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................217
* 4.The Condition and Rise of the Lower Classes................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................224
* 5.The Roman Guilds................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................229
* 6.The Small Farmers and Coloni................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................237
* VI.Private Munificence and Some Modern Phases................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................248
* 1.The Ancient Idea of Beneficence................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................248
* 2.The Benefactions of the Rich................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................253
* 3.Private and Semi-Private Exhibitions of Games................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................263
* 4.The Sportula. Receipt of Donatives by the Rich................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................268
* 5.Presents on the Saturnalia................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................273
* 6.Certain "Modern" Phases................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................276
* 7."Back to the Country"................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................283
* VII.Marriage, Divorce and Childlessness................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................288
* 1.Money and Motives in Marriage................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................288
* 2.Divorce and the Causes Thereof................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................291
* 3.Childlessness................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................296
* 4.Marriage Legislation................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................300
* 5.Happier Marriages................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................305
* 6.Legacy Hunting................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................309
* VIII.Some Reasons Why the Roman Empire Fell................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................314
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1930, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 93 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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