Carving a professional identity : the occupational epigraphy of the Roman Latin West

Carving a Professional Identity: The occupational epigraphy of the Roman Latin West presents the results of long-term research into the occupational epigraphy from the Latin-language provinces of the Roman Empire. It catalogues stone epigraphs of independent professionals (thus excluding state workers, imperial slaves, freedmen and military personnel), comprising some 690 people, providing quantitative as well as qualitative analyses of the raw data. A glossary translating the occupational titles is also included. The book reveals a very lively work market, where specialisation responded to demand and brought social and economic status to the worker. The coherence of epigraphic habits and manifestations within a professional group, along with all the other existing clues for a rather unitary use of symbols, endorse once more the existence of a Roman provincial, commercial, middle class. Table of Contents I. Introductory notes II. Historiographic coordinates for Roman-era occupational epigraphy Professions, occupations and Roman economy Ancient middle classes Historiographic outline III. Quantitative analyses on the primary data Demography and representativeness Encoding the attested occupations Space and time People and monuments IV. People and professional identities Tales of trade and friendship Doctors – the healing science Crafting for a living Entertaining the masses Case study: local identities V. Concluding remarks Index Glossary Catalogue References Abbreviations used in the catalogue Carving a Professional Identity: The occupational epigraphy of the Roman Latin West presents the results of long-term research into the occupational epigraphy from the Latin-language provinces of the Roman Empire. It catalogues stone epigraphs of independent professionals (thus excluding state workers, imperial slaves, freedmen and military personnel), comprising some 690 people, providing quantitative as well as qualitative analyses of the raw data. A glossary translating the occupational titles is also included. The book reveals a very lively work market, where specialisation responded to demand and brought social and economic status to the worker. The coherence of epigraphic habits and manifestations within a professional group, along with all the other existing clues for a rather unitary use of symbols, endorse once more the existence of a Roman provincial, commercial, middle class Cover 1 Title Page 3 Copyright Page 4 Contents 5 I. Introductory notes 7 I.1. Motivation for the research 7 I.2. Structure of the book 7 I.3. Acknowledgements 9 II. Historiographic coordinates for Roman-era occupational epigraphy 10 II.1. Professions, occupations and Roman economy 10 II.2. Ancient middle classes 11 II.3. Historiographic outline 13 III. Quantitative analyses on the primary data 18 III.1. Demography and representativeness 18 III.2. Encoding the attested occupations 19 Graph 1. Quantitative distribution of professional groups. 20 Table 1. Encoding of the occupational titles 23 III.3. Space and time 26 III.4. People and monuments 27 Graph 2. Provincial distribution of the monuments. 27 Graph 3. Juridical status. 29 Graph 4. Gender distribution. 30 Graph 5. Distribution of the dedications. 30 Graph 6. Types of monument. 31 IV. People and professional identities 32 IV.1. Tales of trade and friendship 32 Graph 7. Distribution of commercial workers throughout provinces. 33 Figure 1. Aurelius Aquila’s network. 36 IV.2. Doctors — the healing science 39 Graph 8. Special distribution of civilian and military medical personnel. 40 IV.3. Crafting for a living 41 Graph 9. Professional quality registered in inscriptions. 41 Graph 10. Distribution of craftsmen throughout provinces. 42 IV.4. Entertaining the masses 45 Graph 11. Comparison between arts and sports professionals attested. 47 IV.5. Case study: local identities 51 Graph 12. Provincial distribution of the epigraphs with origin indications. 52 Graph 13. Professional group distribution of the epigraphs with 53 origin indications. 53 V. Concluding remarks 55 Index 57 Index of people 57 Index of toponyms 58 Glossary 60 Latin title 60 English translation/explication 60 actarius 60 clerk, book-keeper 60 actor/ακτορ 60 agent, plaintiff 60 aedituus (= aeditumus) 60 custodian, guardian of a temple 60 aerarius 60 coppersmith 60 agrimensor 60 land surveyor 60 ampullarius 60 producer/seller of flasks/bottles 60 anularius 60 ring-maker 60 aquilegus 60 dowser 60 architectus 60 architect 60 architectus navalis 60 ship constructor/engineer 60 argentarius 60 financial agent, money changer 60 artifex 60 craftsman 60 artificius argentarius 60 silversmith 60 artis aurifex 60 goldsmith 60 artis cretariae lixa 60 trader of chalk 60 artis quadratariae 60 worker in quarry stone 60 artis sutoriae 60 shoemaker 60 aurarius 60 goldsmith 60 brattiarius 60 worker in gold-leaf, gold beater 60 caelator anaglyptarius 60 carver in bas-relief 60 calciarius 60 producer/seller of shoes 60 capistarius (= capistrarius) 60 producer/seller of muzzles 60 capsarius 60 satchelmaker, mender of clothes 60 cassidarius 60 helmet maker 60 clavarius materiarius 60 timber merchant 60 coactor argentarius 61 silversmith 61 cocus 61 cook 61 columnarius 61 builder of columns 61 contrascriptor 61 controller 61 coponus 61 inkeeper/shopkeeper 61 coriarius 61 leather worker 61 culinarius 61 cook 61 cuparius 61 maker of casks 61 curator 61 watchman, building caretaker 61 custos 61 watchman, building caretaker 61 defensor lecticariorum 61 protector, bodyguard of lecticae 61 denudator 61 gymnasium attendant, valet 61 diffusor olearius 61 bottler of oils 61 dispensator 61 attendant, treasurer, steward 61 dissignator 61 supervisor, inspector 61 doctor gladiatorum 61 gladiators’ trainer 61 doctor retiarius 61 retiarii’s trainer 61 domesticus 61 household servant 61 dymacherus sive assidarius (=essedarius) 61 gladiator which fights with two swords or who fights from a chariot 61 educator 61 teacher 61 essedarius 61 gladiator fighting from a chariot 61 fabarius 61 beans merchant 61 faber 61 artisan 61 faber argentarius 61 silver blacksmith 61 faber lapidarius 61 stone cutter 61 faber limarius 61 locksmith 61 faber tignarius 61 maker of beams/carpenter 61 fabrum 61 craftsman 61 fabrum aerarius 61 coppersmith 61 fabrum navalium 61 ship builder 61 famulus 61 attendent 61 ferrarium 61 blacksmith 61 figulus 61 potter 61 frumentarius 61 trader of corn 61 fullo 62 textile fuller 62 gladiarius 62 producer/seller of swords 62 grammaticus 62 teacher 62 hoplomachus 62 gladiator armed as heavy infantry 62 institor armorum 62 peddler of weapons 62 lanarius 62 wool-worker 62 lanius 62 butcher 62 lapicida 62 stone cutter/carver 62 lapidarius 62 stone cutter/carver 62 lardarius 62 trader of bacon, butcher 62 lector 62 reader 62 legulus 62 gatherer of olives, grapes 62 librarius 62 scribe, secretary 62 limarius 62 locksmith 62 linarius 62 linen worker 62 lintiarius (=lintearius) 62 linen weaver 62 lixa 62 merchant, camp follower 62 lutor (=lotor) 62 laundrer 62 macellarius 62 trader of meat 62 magister clavicularius 62 master of keys 62 marmorarius 62 marble setter 62 medica 62 doctor 62 medicus 62 doctor 62 medicus ocularius 62 ophtalmologist 62 mensor 62 land surveyor, engineer 62 mensor aedificiorum 62 building constructor 62 mensularius 62 converter 62 mercator 62 merchant, trader 62 mimographus 62 mime 62 ministra 62 woman servant 62 murmillo (=mirmillo) 62 gladiator fighting with gladius and large shield 62 musicarius 62 singer 62 nauarchus 62 ship captain 62 nauta 62 sailor 62 navicularius 62 ship owner 62 navicularius marinus 63 marine ship owner 63 negotians 63 merchant, trader 63 negotians vinarius 63 trader of wine 63 negotiator 63 merchant, trader 63 negotiator allecarius 63 fish sauce merchant 63 negotiator argenatrius vascularius 63 trader of silver vessels 63 negotiator artis alicariae 63 trader of wheat 63 negotiator artis cervesariae 63 trader of beer 63 negotiator artis clostrariae 63 trader of door bolts 63 negotiator artis cretariae et flaturariae 63 trader of chalk foundry 63 negotiator artis lapidariae 63 trader of stone parts 63 negotiator artis macellariae 63 trader of meat 63 negotiator artis purpurariae 63 trader of purple 63 negotiator artis ratiariae 63 trader of boats 63 negotiator artis saponariae 63 trader of soap 63 negotiator commerciator infectorius 63 trader of dye 63 negotiator cretarius 63 trader of chalk 63 negotiator ferrarius 63 trader of iron 63 negotiator frumentarius 63 trader of grains 63 negotiator gladiarius 63 trader of swords 63 negotiator in ferro 63 trader of iron 63 negotiator lanarius 63 trader of wool 63 negotiator lanius 63 trader of meat 63 negotiator lignarius 63 trader of timber 63 negotiator nummularius 63 money changer 63 negotiator olearius 63 trader opf oil 63 negotiator paenularum 63 trader of mantles 63 negotiator pistoricius 63 tarder of wheat 63 negotiator purpurarius 63 trader of purple 63 negotiator sagari 63 trader of mantles 63 negotiator salarius 63 trader of salt 63 negotiator seplasiarius 63 trader of perfumes 63 negotiator vestarius 63 trader of clothes 63 negotiator vestiarius importator 63 importer of clothes 63 negotiator vinarius 64 trader of wines 64 negotiatori artis prossariae 64 trader of (combed) wool 64 notarius 64 notary 64 notarius et obsonator 64 caterer, buyer of victuals 64 numerarius 64 accountant 64 nummularius 64 banker 64 nutricius 64 tutor 64 nutrix 64 nurse 64 obstretix 64 midwife 64 olearius 64 producer/seller of oil 64 opifex lapidarius 64 crafter of stones 64 opificus artis vitriae 64 crafter of glass 64 ornatrix 64 hairdresser 64 ostiarius 64 porter, doorkeeper 64 panchrestarius 64 man good for everything 64 pancratus 64 wrestler 64 pausarius 64 ship navigating officer 64 pecuarius 64 cattle breeder 64 pedagogus 64 pedagogue 64 picator 64 painter 64 pictor 64 painter 64 pilarius 64 magician 64 piscator, propola 64 fisherman, retailer 64 pistor 64 baker 64 praeceptor 64 teacher 64 propola salarius 64 street vendor 64 protector domesticus 64 watchman 64 purpurarius 64 producer/seller of purple 64 rector 64 teacher 64 retiarius / ῥητιάριος 64 net-fighter in the arena 64 sagarus 64 producer/seller of cloaks 64 salinator 64 seller of salt 64 saltuarius 64 forest/country guard 64 sarcinatrix 64 seamstress 64 scaenici negotiator 64 trader of theatrical props 64 scaenicus 65 actor 65 scoparius 65 sweeper 65 scriba 65 scribe 65 scrut(arius?) 65 junk merchant, second hand dealer 65 sculptor 65 sculptor 65 secutor / σεκούτωρ 65 gladiator fighting with a gladius and a heavy shield 65 seplasiarius 65 producer/seller of perfumes 65 sigillarius 65 producer/seller of moulds 65 sitularius 65 producer/seller of buckets, basins 65 solearius 65 sandal maker 65 statuarius 65 sculptor, statue maker 65 structor 65 builder, carver 65 subaedianus 65 home servant 65 sutor caligarius 65 shomaker of sandals 65 tabellarius 65 messanger 65 tabernacularius 65 shop builder 65 tabularius 65 accountant, notary 65 tesselarius (=tesserarius) 65 mosaic maker 65 thraex 65 gladiator armed with saber and short shield 65 thurarius 65 trader/producer of incense 65 tignarius 65 producers/seller of beams 65 tonsor 65 barber 65 trierarchus 65 ship master 65 turarius 65 producers/seller of incense 65 unctor sive pollinctor 65 embalmer 65 unguentarius 65 producers/seller of ointments 65 ursarius 65 caretaker of bears 65 utricularius 65 bagpiper, raft-master 65 vascularius 65 maker of vessels (metal) 65 venaliciarius 65 slave dealer 65 venator 65 gladiator who impersonates a hunter 65 vestiarius 65 clothes dealer 65 vestigiator 65 tracker, hunter 65 veterinarius 65 veterinarian 65 vicarius 65 substitute 65 vilicus 66 manager of a rural propriety 66 viminarius 66 wicker worker 66 ἀρχιατρός 66 cheif doctor 66 ἔμπορος 66 merchant 66 ιατρός 66 doctor 66 κυνηγός 66 galdiator fighting with animals 66 λαπιδαριθσ 66 stone carver 66 λιθουργὸς 66 stone carver 66 ναύαρχος 66 ship owner/commander 66 ναύκληρος / nauclerus 66 ship owner 66 πραγματευτὴς 66 peddler 66 προβοκάτορ 66 provocateur in the arena 66 χαλκεύς 66 coppersmith 66 χρυσοχόος 66 goldsmith 66 Catalogue 67 References 117 Abbreviations used in the catalogue 122 Back cover 126 Work,labour market,Latin provinces,epigraphy,prosopography. La 4e de couverture indique : "'Carving a Professional Identity: The occupational epigraphy of the Roman Latin West' presents the results of long-term research into the occupational epigraphy from the Latin-language provinces of the Roman Empire. It catalogues stone epigraphs of independent professionals (thus excluding state workers, imperial slaves, freedmen and military personnel), comprising some 690 people, providing quantitative as well as qualitative analyses of the raw data. A glossary translating the occupational titles is also included. The book reveals a very lively work market, where specialisation responded to demand and brought social and economic status to the worker. The coherence of epigraphic habits and manifestations within a professional group, along with all the other existing clues for a rather unitary use of symbols, endorse once more the existence of a Roman provincial, commercial, middle class." This volume presents the results of long-term research into occupational epigraphy from the Latin-language provinces of the Roman Empire. It catalogues stone epigraphs of 690 independent professionals (excluding state workers, imperial slaves, freedmen and military personnel) providing quantitative as well as qualitative analyses of the raw data.