Publicans and Sinners. Private Enterprise in the Service of the Roman Republic

Abstract

PrefaceWhen the University of Otago honoured me with its invitation tondeliver the de Carle Lectures in the winter term of its centennialnyear, I took the opportunity of discussing a subject in which Inhad long been interested, since it is not only of importance to thenstudent of the late Republic (and particularly to the student ofnRoman imperialism and provincial administration during thatnperiod), but one that, even though its importance is generallynrecognized, has not had much special attention devoted to it.nFortunately, and unexpectedly, Urogdi's article on publicani innthe Real-Encyclopadie appeared just in time to be of help to menin the final preparation of the lectures. But my principal debtn(as will be clear on many pages) is to Professor P. A. Brunt'snpaper on 'The Equites in the Late Republic', which appeared whennI had just been putting together some thoughts on Roman imperialism,nand directed my attention to a field that urgently needednmore detailed enquiry in connection with that subject. That short,nbut stimulating and scholarly, paper will be frequently cited innthese pages, with (I think) only occasional disagreement on pointsnof detail. No one working in this field can further fail to profitnfrom Professor Claude Nicolet's comprehensive work on the equites --- a mine of learning and information, which we must hope will soon be made fully accessible by the promised second partnand index.n n