New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-25
BUSINESS LIFE IN ANCIENT ROME.
By Professor O. q. Hsrbermonn.

OF manufactures ON large scale there were few
in Rome. tnough some of the most prominent mobiles
owned factories III Italy and the provinces. Even
the Emperors did not dsdan to be interest ted In
ventures Of this kind. VI. Anrelius inherited from
his mother immense brick-factories and even now
bricks arc found bearing the name Of On. Domitius
Tullus, the EmperoTs great-grandfather by adop-
tion. Another Emperor. PertInax for three years
conducted felt factory IN LIguTia- As senators
were forbidden to engage ia trade, the futare En-
peror had recourse 10 the usual expedieni TO battle
the law. He set up in business trusty freedmen and
slaves who disposed of his manufacturer Other
Senators owned potteries or worked mines aud
quarres.
But though graft Quantities of merchandise were
supplied BY these factories, and the finer fabrics
imported ready-made from the East. most
manufactured articles We're produced % a small
scale in the city itself. IL was truly beehive Of
artisans aud mechanics. Bakers, tailors shOemak-
ers carpenters smiths. dyers tanners. fnlers pot
tiers, masons, carvers and host Of Others here
busy piled their trades aud earned modest livci-
hood. OF sbOemakers there were five or six varie-
ties Even the sculptor restricted hmse { 90
branch of hts art. There artists who produced
only Genil or EIctoies-nay, some whose sole occu-
patton was to insert eyes into statues made by
others Two statues have been found IN which the
bodies were exact duplicates. though one was sur
mounted by the head OF Augustus, the other by
that of Agrippa- Some sculptOrs therefore kept on
hand supply Of readY-nade bodies for which heads
were made TO order. OF course, the price OF work
produced was very low, and respectable life-size
statue OF marble or bronze cOuid be got Cor
hundred aud thirty 10 hundred aud seventy
dollars. at time when from ten TO thirty thousand
dol ars were paid for Phid a. or a Scopas.
No doubt, many OF the mechanics and traicsmen
of Rome were slaves bat that a large numb-r were
free citizens must be inferred from the number aud
importance of their collegS or guilds. Their csfab-
llshmeut reaches back into airy antiquty Tor they
are said to have been founded by Nama P0nlpilius.
They we're associations with corporate rights. whose
ann was not only TO further the business interests
OF their members, bat also 10 provide them with
congenlal amusements. Not only each trade had its
guild, but sometimes each branch OF "A trade. For
instance. there we're not Oniy goldsmith and slvet
smith guilds. bat also a guild Of rngmaker.. OF
their influence on business life. We have no detailed
knowledge. We are better Informed Of their socal
features They all Worship Minerva, tie glldrss
OF mechanical arts Whose festival March 10 Ia 2B
they scrupulousiy kept; Oat. besides, each guild
had some special patron whose feast ce cbrated
by them with much pomp I'D display. The bakers.
for instance were the special wards of Ncsia; the
goddess of rne hear h-hrc and on her feast jane
81 they marched forth ~ procession, accompanied
by their asses, which were adorned with garlands
OF flowers and dawes OF bread.
The expenses Of the artisan were not very large,
for living st Rome was cheap. From an eilct OF
tie Emperor DIOcletian Which 70 give the
maximum prces Ol labor. and merchandise. Forhiger
has cOnlectured that the shop rent cost from $50 20
go annually wbiie the average yearly plI 81 a
jOCucyman mechanic was frO.u so 10 1928 aud
board. The annual cost Of )Od he computes at 80,
and Of clothing at sl5 per head. The price, %. the
MECHANICS products were corrcspOudlngiy low, as
appears from the following items: | felt lat 81;
/ pair mans gliters, 80 cents; | pair womaG'-
aters, 80 cents; L pair shoes, 80 ceuts; par
mans sandals. 20 cents; l pair slippers 80 cents:
l tunlc, $40 % F36; toga, so to %. We must
lot forget 10 mention that Shave could b. had az
When their earnings were exceedingly moter-
ate, mechanics were not likely 10 become million
stances, Fortune will smile 0n her iayOrtes. OF
these was Juyendrs barber. Much 10 the disgust Of
the poet whose beard hs ha rasDed IN early m n
hood, he finally uydled the richest Senators In
wealth. Play tells the story OF an ugly. lunch
backed slave, Clesippus b. name. and f.ler by
trade AT nm aucton sale of MS master Ell IS, he
widow BE gained the favor OF his mistress. be-
came her heir, ana bloomed ont into a millionaire.
Thereafter the candiestIck vas tue principal deity
Of his chapel.
But, apart from these favorltes OF fortune. the
artisans OF Rome bad hard struggle for existence.
They not Only iabored and tOlled ut their trades,
but neglected no opportunity 10 turn honest
penny By other expedients. Oar modern 9istIer
al times keeps cows, and sells swl milk, IL is said;
ut Rome every baker utiliz d his bran by keeping
hogs. and these, roaming through the streets OF tho
NE tropOls. formed a pleasing feature IN the land
scape, and dttused an exceedingly fragrant aroma.
AS we lind now and then barber wh0 trains cana
RES to distract bis victims aud 20 put a few extra
dollars into bis purse 50 tie BARRIERS cobbcrs aud
tallOrs 81 Rome educated crows and magDie~. some
OF these birds have become historical Under ii5e-
RUS, raven trained by cObDler dew 10 the rlstpa
every day and cr6aked OGi The names Of che en-
perOr and of his nephews, L. usus and Gcrmanicu3.
neighDorlug tradesman Killed the bird Ihroagh
spite he could not have Jared worse had %. killed
rs owner. lie was expelled from the ward and
then asSasslnated, while the murdered pet was
borne 10 solemn burial oy two blackamO0rs. 4 crow
WIS the heroine OF less tragical story. Is master
had drilled lt to say, Hail Csrsar YiCtOTIuus En-
perOrW IN the hope that Augustus w0ula pay
handsome price tor 81 loyal bird. Often. when
the scholar proved s1upld, The cOebier grow Ell ont
" / have lost my time and my trouble" Al last. she
bird education being flushed it yas taken % the
Emperor. II shrieked Hail C;Rsar " most enthusi-
asticsliy. but TO no Purpose Augustus obstaate.y
refused TO buy the bird Al last. If Onsrious Of
the situation, the crow crOa'ied ont, IN disgust ."
have lost my time and my trouble lt was at
installed In the palace, aud the cobbiei weUs homo
rejoicing.
Tho Roman tradesman was an object Of
'corn TO the weather. classes, aud tic butt
If their jokes. He was charged with ignorance,
znavery and filthy habits Tie fshmongers
we're tainted with Nlping their noses
their sleeves and the tanners preached for md
ng offensive smell in the money winch they
earned by their unsavory industry. No doubt there
Was some truth in these accusations. Still all the
mechanics Of the Seven Hills far from being
lnlearned sOme evidently reshed poetry. tOr on
he walls Of their shops hines from Virgil, OVID and
,ther poets are found by the modern eXplorer.
For the most part the shops adj0insd the dwell
ngs, and men of the same trade ten dwe.t next "a
Zach other in the street.