Salvete omnes

Since I do tend to speak of Roman classes in economic terms, it may be good to look at costs of living. Here are two lists of values from different eras in Roman history.

In 149 BCE, according Varro, a single bronze as was the standard price set for

1 modius of spelt
1 congius of wine
30 pounds of dried figs
10 pounds of olive oil
12 pounds of boneless meat

(congius = 12 liters; modius = 9 liters; pound = 326 grams).


A grocery list from Pompeii for a week?s supply of a city house in 79 CE:

- a modius (14 pounds) of corn: 12 asses
- a modius of wheat: 30 asses
- a modius of lupins (beans, I think): 3 asses
- a pound of oil: 4 asses
- a measure of ordinary wine: 1 as
- a measure of fine wine: 4 asses
- a stewpot: 1 as
- a plate: 1 as
- a small drinking-vase: 2 asses
- a bucket: 9 asses
- a lamp: 1 as
- a silver sieve, if you just had to have one: 90 denarii
- a tunic: 15 sesterces
--- take said tunic to the cleaners: 1 denarius
- a mule: 520 sesterces
- two slaves: 5048 sesterces
- cheese: 1 as
- bread for family: 8 asses
- bread for slave: 2 asses
- onions: 5 asses
- semolina: 3 asses
- dates: 1 as
- incense: 1 as
- hard wheat: 16 asses
- black pudding: 1 as
- soft cheese: 4 asses
- leeks: 1 as
- small fishes: 2 asses