Congiarium
Encyclopedia
Of Ancient Roman containers, a congiarium, or congiary, (Latin
, from congius
) was a vessel containing one congius
, a measure of volume equal to six sextarii
.
In the early times of the Roman Republic
, the congius was the usual measure of oil
or wine
which was, on certain occasions, distributed among the people; and thus congiarium became a name for liberal donations to the people, in general, whether consisting of oil, wine, grain, or money, or other things, while donations made to the soldiers were called donativa, though they were sometimes also termed congiaria.
Congiarium was, moreover, occasionally used simply to designate a present or a pension given by a person of high rank, or a prince, to his friends; and Fabius Maximus
called the presents which Augustus
made to his friends, on account of their smallness, heminaria, instead of congiaria, because hemina was only the twelfth part of a congius.
Tiberius
gave a congiarium of 72½ denarii (300 sesterces) to each citizen. Caligula
gave the same amount of three hundred sesterces on two occasions. Nero
, whose congiaria were the earliest known examples represented on medals, gave four hundred.
Despite Trajan
's financial success, his practice of giving extravagant congiaria to the people of Rome received severe condemnation. His first congiarium, in 99
, was probably no larger than that of Nerva
(75 denarii per person), but his second and third distributions of money, after each Dacian War, amounted to 650 denarii per person.
Hadrian
treated the Roman people in the same way as Trajan, and of him Fronto said:
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, from congius
Congius
In Ancient Roman measurement, congius was a liquid measure, which contained six sextarii, or the eighth-part of the amphora; that is about 3.25 litres...
) was a vessel containing one congius
Congius
In Ancient Roman measurement, congius was a liquid measure, which contained six sextarii, or the eighth-part of the amphora; that is about 3.25 litres...
, a measure of volume equal to six sextarii
Ancient Roman units of measurement
The ancient Roman units of measurement were built on the Hellenic system with Egyptian, Hebrew, and Mesopotamian influences. The Roman units were comparatively consistent and well documented.-Length:Notes...
.
In the early times of the Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
, the congius was the usual measure of oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
or wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
which was, on certain occasions, distributed among the people; and thus congiarium became a name for liberal donations to the people, in general, whether consisting of oil, wine, grain, or money, or other things, while donations made to the soldiers were called donativa, though they were sometimes also termed congiaria.
Congiarium was, moreover, occasionally used simply to designate a present or a pension given by a person of high rank, or a prince, to his friends; and Fabius Maximus
Fabius Maximus
Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Cunctator was a Roman politician and general, born in Rome around 280 BC and died in Rome in 203 BC. He was Roman Consul five times and was twice Dictator in 221 and again in 217 BC. He reached the office of Roman Censor in 230 BC...
called the presents which Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
made to his friends, on account of their smallness, heminaria, instead of congiaria, because hemina was only the twelfth part of a congius.
Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius , was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. His mother divorced Nero and married Augustus in 39 BC, making him a step-son of Octavian...
gave a congiarium of 72½ denarii (300 sesterces) to each citizen. Caligula
Caligula
Caligula , also known as Gaius, was Roman Emperor from 37 AD to 41 AD. Caligula was a member of the house of rulers conventionally known as the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Caligula's father Germanicus, the nephew and adopted son of Emperor Tiberius, was a very successful general and one of Rome's most...
gave the same amount of three hundred sesterces on two occasions. Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
, whose congiaria were the earliest known examples represented on medals, gave four hundred.
Despite Trajan
Trajan
Trajan , was Roman Emperor from 98 to 117 AD. Born into a non-patrician family in the province of Hispania Baetica, in Spain Trajan rose to prominence during the reign of emperor Domitian. Serving as a legatus legionis in Hispania Tarraconensis, in Spain, in 89 Trajan supported the emperor against...
's financial success, his practice of giving extravagant congiaria to the people of Rome received severe condemnation. His first congiarium, in 99
99
Year 99 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Palma and Senecio...
, was probably no larger than that of Nerva
Nerva
Nerva , was Roman Emperor from 96 to 98. Nerva became Emperor at the age of sixty-five, after a lifetime of imperial service under Nero and the rulers of the Flavian dynasty. Under Nero, he was a member of the imperial entourage and played a vital part in exposing the Pisonian conspiracy of 65...
(75 denarii per person), but his second and third distributions of money, after each Dacian War, amounted to 650 denarii per person.
Hadrian
Hadrian
Hadrian , was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He is best known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain. In Rome, he re-built the Pantheon and constructed the Temple of Venus and Roma. In addition to being emperor, Hadrian was a humanist and was philhellene in...
treated the Roman people in the same way as Trajan, and of him Fronto said:
See also
- AerariumAerariumAerarium was the name given in Ancient Rome to the public treasury, and in a secondary sense to the public finances....
- ComesComesComes , plural comites , is the Latin word for companion, either individually or as a member of a collective known as comitatus, especially the suite of a magnate, in some cases large and/or formal enough to have a specific name, such as a cohors amicorum. The word comes derives from com- "with" +...
- DonativumDonativumDonativum was the name given to the gifts of money dispersed to the soldiers of the Roman legions or to the Praetorian Guard by the Roman Emperors....
- FiscusFiscusFiscus, from which comes the English term fiscal, was the name of the personal treasury of the emperors of Rome. The word is literally translated as "basket" or "purse" and was used to describe those forms of revenue collected from the provinces , which were then granted to the emperor...
- RationalisRationalisThe rationalis was the Roman Empire's chief financial minister prior to the reforms of Emperor Diocletian and the Late Empire. Among the tasks of the rationalis were the collection of all normal taxes payable in coin and duties, the control of the currency, and the administration of mines, mints,...
- RationibusRationibusA rationibus was the Roman Empire's secretary of finance, in charge of maintaining the accounts and expenditures of the fiscus which is the imperial treasury. This official's role in the finances of the Early Empire was considerable...
- Roman financeRoman financeFor centuries the monetary affairs of the Roman Republic had rested in the hands of the Senate. These elite liked to present themselves as steady and fiscally conservative, but as the 19th-century historian of Rome Wilhelm Ihne remarked:...