Overview
aerārium
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Derived from aes, means ‘treasury’. The main aerarium of Rome was the aerarium Saturni, so called from the temple below the Capitol, in which it was placed. Here were kept state documents, both financial and non‐financial, and the state treasure. The Tabularium was built near it in 78 bc. The aerarium was controlled by two urban quaestors under the supervision of the senate. Caesar in 49 bc seized the reserve for his own use.
The aerarium mīlitārĕ, situated on the Capitol, was founded by Augustus in ad 6 to provide for the pensioning of discharged soldiers. Augustus provided for it a capital sum of 170 million sesterces from his own funds and an income from the 1 per cent tax on sales by auction and the 5 per cent tax on inheritances. It was administered by three ex‐praetors.
Subjects: Classical studies
