fiscus
Sign in to saveAlso known as fiscus Caesaris, Caesaris fiscus
'''''' () was the treasury of the Roman Empire. It was initially the personal wealth of the emperors, funded by taxation on the imperial provinces, assumption of estates and other privileges. By the third century it was understood as a state fund rather than a personal one, albeit under the emperor's control. It is the origin of the English terms "" and "".
~9 min read
Article
12 sectionsContents
- Origins
- Administration
- ''Fiscus''' incomes
- Incomes from taxes
- Non-fiscal incomes
- Nature of the ''fiscus''
- Reforms and developments
- Other ''fisci''
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
'''''' () was the treasury of the Roman Empire. It was initially the personal wealth of the emperors, funded by taxation on the imperial provinces, assumption of estates and other privileges. By the third century it was understood as a state fund rather than a personal one, albeit under the emperor's control. It is the origin of the English terms "" and "".
== Origins == thumb|Coin () showing a fiscus to the right of a hasta (spear)|hasta publica (auction pike) and sella [[quaestoria (auditor's bench)]] Augustus divided Rome's territory between senatorial provinces, whose tributes ended up in the aerarium (the already existing state's chest), and imperial provinces, whose incomes ended up into the fiscus, the emperor's chest. Upon the latter chest fell the most burdensome costs, namely the ones for army and fleet, bureaucracy and grants to urban plebs (distribution of wheat or moneys).