Essays | Book Reviews | | Equipment Reviews | | Essays |

Larinum Text on the Aristocracy Appearing in the Arena Courtesy of: Professor Brian K. Harvey Notes: This text comes from a bronze tablet containing a senatorial response to a speech of Marcus Aurelius. This inscription offers important evidence for the structure of gladiatorial shows. It records the remission of a tax on gladiatorial expenditures (probably instituted in the context of Marcus Aurelius' wars on the northern frontier) that was granted in response to an embassy from the provincial assembly of the three Gauls. In addition to the remission of taxes, a senator proposes strict limits on the prices for different gladiators according to location. The section relating to the expenditure on shows (29) is of interest for several reasons. First of all because it gives an indication (confirmed by other texts) of the number of gladiators that might be expected to perform; secondly because it preserves rankings of cities within provinces, and aims, by limiting costs, to limit aristocratic competition within those locations. Thirdly, it attempts to restrict competition from non-aristocrats (who might put on games in an attempt to gain popularity but charge admission). That so great a plague could not be cured by any medicine. And it could not. But our emperors, whose entire concern is to revive the public security from any disease by which it is overwhelmed and strangled and to restore it to complete health, turned their attention to the cause which gave strength to that disease whence the law permitted foul and morally offensive revenues to be derived. They asked what influence and protection made it possible to use, as it were, legitimate ways of doing things which are forbidden by all divine and human laws. (5) "The imperial treasury," they were told again and again. The imperial treasury, not for itself but in order that it might serve as protection for the butchery in which others engaged, had been invited with an interest amounting to a third or fourth portion to make the filthy plundering legitimate. And so they took the imperial treasury out of the arena completely. After all, why should the imperial treasury of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Commodus be supported by a connection with the arena? All the money of these emperors is clean, not stained with the splashing of human blood, not soiled with the filth of sordid gains, and it is as innocently produced as it is collected. So away with that revenue, whether twenty or even thirty million sestertii a year. Large enough for the empire is the fortune you accumulate by your thrift. "Let even a part be cut from the back debts owed by lanistae, which come to more than five million sestertii, as a free gift to the lanistae." For what makes them worthy, I respectfully ask you. "Of course," the emperors say, "for no merits, but since they have been forbidden to engage in the disorderly conduct of their old life, let them have this consolation, and in the future let them be invited to serve the public at a fixed rate." (12) Oh, great Emperors, who know that remedies which allow for the interests even of the wicked who have made themselves actually indispensable are set on deeper foundations, the harvest of your great foresight will indeed come forth. The official reading of the address in our assembly has barely finished, but when it was unofficially reported that the profits of the lanistae had been pruned back and that the imperial treasury had given up all that money as contaminated, immediately the priests of your most loyal Gallic provinces rushed to see each other, were full of joy, and plied each other with questions and answers. (16) There was one who upon being appointed priest had given up his fortune for lost, had named a council to help him in an appeal addressed to the emperors. But in that very gathering, he himself, before and after consulting his friends, exclaimed, "What do I want with an appeal now? The most sacred emperors have released the whole burden which crushed my patrimony. Now I desire and look forward to being a priest, and as for the duty of putting on a spectacle, of which we once were solemnly asking to be relieved, I welcome it." (19) And so permission to withdraw the appeal was sought not only by him but by all the others, and how much more numerous petitions to withdraw them will be! Now this class of cases will assume a new form in which those will appeal who have not been made priests, in fact even those who do not qualify as members of an order. (21) Therefore, when your advice is so good and its objects so salutary, what other "first opinion" can there be for me to give that that which all individually feel and express in an acclamation of the whole group from the bottom of their hearts. (23) I think, therefore, first that thanks should be offered to the most sacred emperors, who with healthful remedies subordinating the interests of the imperial treasury have stopped the decline of the states and the headlong rush of the leading men into ruin and restored the condition of the former and the fortunes of the latter. It was all the more magnificent of them, because, though the excuse was available that they were merely retaining what others had instituted and long custom had confirmed, nevertheless they thought that it was by no means consonant with their philosophical principles either to preserve bad institutions or themselves to institute what others must be dishonorable to preserve. (27) Moreover, although many think that concerning what the most sacred emperors have reported to us we should go on record with only one succinct opinion, nevertheless, with your permission, Senators, I shall take up each article separately, taking over from the most sacred oration the very same words to clarify the opinion, so that there be no room anywhere for misinterpretation. (29) Accordingly, I support the proposals: "That the spectacles which are called munera assiforana [games put on that charge admission] remain within their old limit and not exceed 30,000 HS in expenditure. That to those, however, who produce spectacles at an expenditure between 30,000 and 60,000 HS, gladiators be furnished in equal number in three classes: maximum price for the first class be 5,000 HS, for the second class 4,000 HS, for the third class 3,000 HS. That when it is from 60,000 and 100,000 HS, the company of gladiators be divided into three classes: maximum price of a gladiator of the first class be 8,000 HS, middle class 6,000, lowest 5,000. Next, that when it is from 100,000 to 150,000, there be five grades: for a man of the first grade the price be 12,000 HS, second 10,000, third 8,000, fourth 6,000, last 5,000. Next in order, finally, that when it is from 150,000 to 200,000 HS or any sum which may be over and above this, the price of the gladiator of the lowest grade be 6,000 HS, of the next higher 7,000, of the third by backward count 9,000, fourth 12,000 up to 15,000 which is the amount fixed for the gladiator of the highest and last grade." (35) "That at every spectacle of all the categories into which they have been classified the lanista provide as half of the whole group a number of men who are not expected to perform singly, and that of these, who are known as gregarii, one who may be rated 'superior among gregarii' fight in a team under a standard for 2,000 HS, and that no one from this group fight for less than 1,000." (They explain that) the lanistae should also be warned against a low desire to profiteer and be warned that they no longer have a free hand in supplying the half which the group of gregarii constitute, in order that they may realize that an obligation has been placed upon them to make from the others whom they may rate as superior temporary transfers to fill up their quota of gregarii. "Accordingly, that that group which the entire establishment constitutes be divided into equal parts for individual days and that on no day less than half of those who may fight on that day consist of gregarii." (40) "In order that the lanistae may be compelled to observe this rule as carefully as possible, competence must be assigned to provincial governors and their legates, or to quaestors, or to legates in command of legions, or to senatorial judges or to procurators of the" Most holy emperors "upon mandate of the provincial governor also to praesidial procurators. Across the Po, however, and throughout all regions of Italy competence must be given to officer in charge of the alimenta, who should be assigned to a judge, or if he too is unavailable, then to a prefect, or, if they are not present; to a Caretaker of the Road, or if not even he is present, to a judge, or if he too is unavailable, then to a prefect of a praetorian fleet." (45) Likewise I support the opinion "that in the matter of prize money, care must be taken that as his own share of the reward each free gladiator contract to receive a quarter of that money, whatever used to be set aside for this purpose in the past, but each slave gladiator receive a fifth." (46) Concerning the prices of gladiators, however, I expressed a little while ago an opinion in accord with the prescription of the divine oration, but I think the rule is formulated in such a way that those prices apply to those states in which prices of gladiators have been flagrantly high. In respect to states which have a rather weak commonwealth, on the other hand, (I suggest that) these rules which are prescribed in stronger communities be not so rigidly maintained and not place burdens upon them beyond the limit of their strength but keep within that limit, so that whatever prices in public and private accounts are found to be highest, mean and lowest, may be observed for those states-, in the case of states within provinces by the governor of the province, in other caes, however, by the iuridicus, or by the Caretaker of the Road, or by the prefect of the Praetorian fleet, or by the procurator of the Most Holy Emperors, or by whoever in each state will be its ranking magistrate-, and that so, upon inspection of the accounts of the last ten years, upon consideration of the spectacles which have been precedents in whatever city there will be donors, a riding be made by him whose competence it will be concerning the three price levels, or if it be possible to do so fairly, and that this system be preserved also for the future. And (I suggest that) the Most Famous of men who went out as proconsuls a short while ago be informed that each of them is supposed to carry out this assignment within his year, and that also those who govern provinces where the lot is not used finish within the year. (56) As for the Gallic provinces, (the same limits on prices for gladiators apply). But also for trinqui, who because of an ancient custom of sacred ritual are eagerly awaited in the states of the most glorious Gallic provinces, let the lantistae not charge a higher price than 2,000 sestertii apiece, since the Most Holy Emperors have announced in their oration that the policy will be for a procurator of theirs to hand over to the lanistae at a price of not more than six gold pieces a man who has been condemned to death. (59) There will be provinces too where the provincial priests have no dealings with lanistae. They take over gladiators bought and trained by previous priests, or free fighters who had bound themselves with a contract, but after giving a spectacle they pass them on to successors at a higher price. Let no one sell anyone for gladiatorial service at a price per individual higher than that to which lanistae are limited. (62) In the case of him, however, who voluntarily, in the presence of the Most Famous Man the Tribune of the People, may announce his intention to fight at the legal price of 2,000 sestertii, (I suggest that) if this man, when he has obtained his release, will have re-entered his dangerous occupation, his valuation thereafter not exceed 12,000 sestertii. In the case of him too who after growing older and less capable may again apply himself . . .