{"id":3419,"date":"2023-03-24T08:04:33","date_gmt":"2023-03-24T07:04:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/?p=3419"},"modified":"2023-03-24T08:04:33","modified_gmt":"2023-03-24T07:04:33","slug":"how-much-did-a-servant-cost-in-ancient-rome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/how-much-did-a-servant-cost-in-ancient-rome\/","title":{"rendered":"How much did a servant cost in ancient rome?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A servant in ancient Rome would have cost around 2,000 drachmae, the equivalent of $20,000 today. This would have been a significant amount of money, especially for a lower-class family. servants were not just slaves, but were also indentured servants who had to work for a certain number of years to pay off their debt. They were usually well-treated and were given food and lodging, but their work was hard and they had no days off.<\/p>\n

The cost of a servant in Ancient Rome varied depending on their role and level of experience. A lower level servant might only cost a few Roman denarii per month, while a highly skilled servant could cost upwards of 100 denarii per month.<\/p>\n

What was the pay for a Roman soldier? <\/h2>\n

Polybius was a Greek historian who wrote in the mid-second century BCE. He estimated that soldiers’ pay was around two obols (a unit of ancient Greek currency) per day, which would equate to 120 denarii (another unit of ancient Greek currency) per year. For a cavalryman’s pay, he estimated 180 denarii per year. Obviously, the value of the money and its purchasing power was dependent of the economic circumstances of the time.<\/p>\n

The cost of living in Ancient Rome was quite high, especially for those who wanted to purchase luxury items. A half-liter of top-shelf ancient wine could cost up to 30 asses, while a new tunic cost about 15 sestertii. More expensive purchases for Romans included a cow (100-200 denarii), a male slave (500 denarii), a female slave (2,000-6,000 denarii) and an apartment (48-288 denarii\/year).<\/p>\n

How much were Roman workers paid <\/h3>\n
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A denarius a day was the most widely quoted wage for a common soldier during the Roman Empire. This wage was increased by some emperors over time, including Septimius Severus and Caracalla. The praetorian guards also received 2 denarii per day. These wages helped to keep the Roman army well-paid and motivated to fight.<\/p>\n

The price of a male slave in Rome at the time of Augustus was 500 denarii. A female slave could go for as much as 6,000 denarii. One recorded price in Pompeii at 79 AD indicates that a slave sold for 2,500 sestertii, or 625 denarii.<\/p>\n

How much did it cost to equip a Roman soldier? <\/h2>\n

The cost of a soldier in the first century AD was 36 solidi, which was worth 500 silver denarii. This does not include the cost of mercenaries, which would be much higher. The cost of a soldier includes pay, provisions, and equipment.<\/p>\n

A legion was a group of soldiers in the Roman army. There were over 5,000 soldiers in a legion.<\/p>\n

How rich was Roman richest? <\/h2>\n
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Crassus was a wealthy man, with an estimated fortune of 200 million sesterces. Plutarch tells us that his wealth increased from a modest 300 talents to an impressive 7,100 talents over the course of his life. This was likely due to Crassus’ successful career as a politician and businessman.<\/p>\n

It was common for enslaved people in Rome to earn a little money. This was usually done by working extra hours or taking on extra tasks. The money that was earned was then typically used to buy personal items or to help pay for their family’s needs.<\/p>\n

What would 1 denarius buy <\/h3>\n

This Republican denarius, from 137 BC, is an interesting coin. It would have paid a legionary soldier for about three days, which is not a lot. However, it could also have bought enough wheat to bake his daily bread for nearly a month. This would have been a very useful coin for a soldier in the Roman army.<\/p>\n

A centurion was a commander of a centuria, which was a unit of soldiers in the Roman army. A centurion always had a much higher salary than an ordinary legionary, and during the reign of Domitian, a centurion could count on an annual salary of 1800 sesterces. This was compared to the 1200 sesterces that an ordinary legionary earned.