Roman Pricing

Common Professions

and Their Wages

In Ancient Rome

Artist, mosaic worker	50 - 60 Denarii per day
Barber	2 Denarii per customer
Bath Attendant	20 -25 Denarii per day
Carpenter	50 Denarii per day
Farm Laborer	25 Denarii per day †
Fortune Teller	20 - 25 Denarii per day
Fuller (Wool weaver)	175 Denarii per cloak
Linen Weaver	20 - 40 Denarii per day †
Manual Laborer	25 Denarii per day
Messenger	18 - 20 Denarii per day
Scribe	1 Denarius per 5 - 7 lines
Secretary	30 - 35 Denarii per day
Skilled Tradesman	35 - 75 Denarii per day
Stone Mason	50 Denarii per day
Teacher, elementary	50 Denarii per month ‡
Teacher, advanced	250 Denarii per month ‡

Wages in 301 AD in theRoman Empire

 

All data based on Diocletian's "Edict of Maximum Prices" issued in 301 AD, 

 peace work in others

General Laborers brick maker, for every 4 fired bricks and preparation of the clay....................... 2
brick maker, for every 8 sun dried bricks, and preparation of the clay............... 2
clerk (based on specified bath attendant wage)................................................. 25
farm laborer, with maintenance......................................................................... 25
lime burner, with maintenance........................................................................... 50
mule driver, camel driver, with maintenance...................................................... 25
sewer cleaner, working a full day, with maintenance.......................................... 25
shepherd, with maintenance.............................................................................. 25
water carrier, working a full day, with maintenance........................................... 25
all other general labor....................................................................................... 25

Skilled Laborers

barber, per customer....................................................................................... 2
cabinet maker, with maintenance...................................................................... 50
carpenter, with maintenance, daily.................................................................... 50
stone mason, with maintenance......................................................................... 50
figure painter, with maintenance........................................................................ 150
fuller (Wool weaver), per cloak........................................................................ 175
marble paving and walls custodian, with maintenance........................................ 60
wall mosaics worker, with maintenance............................................................ 60
model maker, with maintenance........................................................................ 75
other plaster worker, with maintenance................................................. 50
parchment maker, for a quaternion, white or yellow parchment......................... 40
shipwright of a river vessel, with maintenance.................................................... 50
shipwright of a seagoing vessel, with maintenance............................................. 60
tessellated floormaker , with maintenance......................................................... 50
wagon blacksmith, with maintenance................................................................ 50
wagonwright, with maintenance........................................................................ 50
wall painter, with maintenance.......................................................................... 75

Professionals
 
advocate, for opening a case............................................................................ 250
for pleading a case........................................................................................... 1000
scribe, for the best writing 100 lines.................................................................. 25
for second quality writing..................................................................... 20
secretary......................................................................................................... 35
notary, for writing a petition or legal document.................................................. 10 

Teachers in AncientRome

 

A teacher in ancient Rome would have lived in the home of a wealthy patrician, who would have provided the teacher with food and clothing appropriate to the house.  The teacher would not have had much spending money, but would have lived comfortably just the same.  These are salaries in denarii  per month, per student. 

elementary teacher............................................................................... 50
arithmetic teacher................................................................................. 75
Greek, Latin literature or geometry....................................................... 200
teacher of rhetoric (public speaking)..................................................... 250

Note a carpenter makes 900 per month, but does not eat as well.

Soldiers in Ancient Rome

Soldiering was one of the best ways a Roman male could provide for his family.  The base wage was low, not enough to live on.  Four times a year, a soldier received a "donative" greater than his annual base pay.  Additionally, soldiers received an annual "annona" subsidy for grain purchases.  The best soldiers hoped to be recruited to the Praetorian Guard, the soldiers who guarded the emperor.  These soldiers were paid roughly 3 times the base wage of the average soldier, and likely enjoyed many additional privileges as well. 


Soldiers had high expenses in their profession, but they still came out much better than the average citizen even after expenses.  The soldiers were expected to pay for much of their own equipment, rations, and clothing.  They even had to pay part of the cost of burial for their fallen from their unit. 



Soldiers' Pay:     
average Roman soldier,annually........................................................................ 1800 
ie  150 per month (1 sword value, per month)
Praetorian Guard, annually............................................................................... 5500 

annual grain annona (1 per year)....................................................................... 600
donative (4 per year)....................................................................................... 2500
Additionally, every soldier received a grain allotment of
30 modii of wheat per year that would be worth................................... 3000
Total Annual Pay for an average Roman Soldier............................................... 15,400
For a Praetorian Guard.................................................................................... 19,100

Compare that to a general laborer working 305 days a year.................................................. 7625

 

 

Soldiers' Costs:
boots, without hobnails.................................................................................... 100
shoes, soldiers................................................................................................. 75
saddle............................................................................................................. 500
polisher, for a sword........................................................................................ 25
       for a helmet.............................................................................................. 25
       for an axe................................................................................................. 6
       for a double axe........................................................................................ 8
       for a sword scabbard................................................................................ 100 

Prices in 301 AD in theRoman Empire

All data based on Diocletian's "Edict of Maximum Prices" issued in 301 AD

The Edict of Maximum Prices was an attempt to control runaway inflation and poverty in the Empire.  The penalty for exceeding the prices of the Edict was severe: death.  Not satisfied to execute just the seller, Diocletian decreed that the buyer was to be executed as well.  As a final measure, if a seller refused to sell his goods at the stated price, the penalty was death.

Food

 

Dry Foods

Prices refer to one modius unless otherwise indicated. 1 modius=8 liters dry measure.

alfalfa seed...................................................................................................... 150
barley.............................................................................................................. 60
barley, cleaned................................................................................................ 100
beans.............................................................................................................. 60
beans, crushed................................................................................................. 100
chickpeas........................................................................................................ 100
flaxseed........................................................................................................... 150
hayseed........................................................................................................... 30
lentils............................................................................................................... 100
millet, crushed.................................................................................................. 100
millet, whole.................................................................................................... 50
oats................................................................................................................. 30
peas, crushed.................................................................................................. 100
peas................................................................................................................ 60
rice, cleaned.................................................................................................... 200
rye.................................................................................................................. 60
salt.................................................................................................................. 100
sesame............................................................................................................ 200
wheat.............................................................................................................. 100

Fruits & Vegetables
 
cabbage or lettuce, head.................................................................................. 1-2 ½
dessert grapes, libra......................................................................................... 1
fenugreek, modius............................................................................................ 100
peaches, one, up to.......................................................................................... 1-2 ½

Prices in 301 AD in theRoman Empire

Food (continued)

Meats and Fish Prices refer to one libra unless otherwise noted. 1 libra=326 grams or just under pound.
 
beef................................................................................................................. 8
chicken............................................................................................................ 60
fish, freshwater................................................................................................ 12
second quality...................................................................................... 8
fish, saltwater................................................................................................... 25
second quality...................................................................................... 16
goose, fattened................................................................................................ 200
not fattened......................................................................................... 100
goat................................................................................................................. 12
lamb................................................................................................................ 12
pheasant, depending on variety......................................................................... 125-250
pork................................................................................................................ 12
sausage, depending on variety.......................................................................... 10-16
 



Wine, Beer & Oil
 

Prices refer to one sextarius.  1 sextarius=1.14 Pints or .546 liters

beer, Celtic or Pannonian................................................................................. 4
Egyptian.............................................................................................. 2
Aminean, Falernian, Picene, Sabine, Tiburtine regional wines............................ 30
aged wine........................................................................................................ 24
second quality...................................................................................... 16
chrysattic wine................................................................................................. 24
Maeonian wine, boiled down one-third............................................................. 30
must, boiled down........................................................................................... 16
must, boiled down one-half.............................................................................. 20
rose wine......................................................................................................... 20
spiced wine..................................................................................................... 24
wine with wormwood...................................................................................... 20
vin ordinaire (ordinary wine)............................................................................. 8
olive oil, fresh.................................................................................................. 40
second quality...................................................................................... 24
liquamen (fish sauce seasoning)........................................................................ 16
second quality...................................................................................... 12
vinegar and wine vinegar.................................................................................. 6 

Prices in 301 AD in theRoman Empire

ClothingFabric Prices are per item or libra for raw materials.
 
African cloak................................................................................................... 500
Dalmatian tunic................................................................................................ 2000
hooded cloak, Laodicean................................................................................. 4500
soldier's winter tunic........................................................................................ 75
wool from Tarentum........................................................................................ 75
white silk......................................................................................................... 12,000 (or about 6 years pay)

purple silk^†..................................................................................................... 150,000 (about 60 years pay.)
^†Purple silk was to be used only at the direction of the Emperor under penalty of death.
Boots and Shoes boots for mule drivers or farm workers, without hobnails.................................. 120
boots for soldiers, without hobnails................................................................... 100
women's boots................................................................................................ 60
patrician's shoes.............................................................................................. 150
senatorial shoes............................................................................................... 100
equestrian's shoes............................................................................................ 70
soldier's shoes................................................................................................. 75
Sandals and Gallic Sandals double-soled Gallic sandals for farm workers................................................... 80
single soled Gallic sandals................................................................................ 50
Gallic sandals for runners................................................................................. 60
women's oxhide sandals double-soled.............................................................. 50