SERVANT HOUSEHOLDS:

Job categories in the Imperial Family




LATIN TITLE
English
SUBORDINATES
Functions
DISPENSATOR Chief Steward earlier this was performed by the atriensis maintenance, cleaning, food preparation, disbursements
ARCARIUS keeper of the chest
Tabularius accountant -Ad Possessiones
-Custos rationis patrimonii
-insularius
a manu / ad manum dictation clerk
Librarius records keeper
Ostiarius doorkeeper
ATRIENSIS manager of the atrium -diaetarchae
-tricliniarchae
-ministratores
-praegustator
-a cyatho
-structor
suite manager
dining hall keepers
waiters, footmen
taster
cupbearer/wine steward
carver
ROGATOR social secretary in charge of invitations and arrangements
Ab admissione controlled the flow of visitors
Nomenclator prompted the master/mistress as to visitor's name
ab hospitiis servant in charge of guest accommodations
SUPRA CUBICULARIOS Grand Chamberlain
cubicularius chamberlain -ornatrix
-tonsor/tostrix
-a veste
-ab ornamentis
-ab ornamentis sacerdotalibus
-vestipica
-capsarius
a purpuris
dresser/chamber maid
barber
valet/mistress of the robes
custodian of ceremonial garb
unctor/unctrix masseur/masseuse -ad unguenta keeper of oils and perfumes
puer a pedibus
pedisequus
delicia
opsonator caterer
libraria cellaria pantry supervisor
cooks
bakers
cellerarius wine steward
lanipedus
textor
vestifex
sarcinator tailor
fullones laundry servants
calciator shoemaker
structores builders
fabri builders, smiths, carpenters
marmorarius marble worker
aquarius plumber
specularii glaziers
pictores interior decorators
aurifex goldsmith
inaurator gilder
argentarius silversmith
margaritarius jeweller
colorator furniture conservator
tuarius incense maker
ab argento silver worker
ab suppelectile furniture custodians
a tabulis curator of art
ad imagines in charge of the family busts
a sede Augustae the Augusta's chair custodian
AD VALETUDINARIUM hospital director
supra medicos Chief of staff
medicus doctor
nutrix wet-nurse
PAEDAGOGUS tutor
grammatici teachers
mensor measurer


SUMMARY of job categories (based on Treggiari)

Empress Livia 46
Marcella the Younger 12
Julio-Claudian Emperors 49
The Statilii Tauri 40
Trimalchio (Petronius Satyricon) 23+
Note: The above statistics, drawn from Treggiari (1975), indicate the number of job categories, not the number of personnel in the households indicated. They are based mostly on a collection of evidence from tomb inscriptions which mention occupations, and thus depend on the factor of survival; the complete number in each case is likely higher.


  • Boulvert, Gérard, Esclaves et affranchis imperiaux sous le Haut-Empire romain: Rôle politique et administraftif (Naples 1970).
  • Treggiari, Susan, "Jobs in the Household of Livia," Papers of the British School at Rome n.s. 30 [43] (1975) 48-75.
  • Weaver, P. R. C., Familia Caesaris: A Social Study of the Emperor's Freedmen and Slaves (Cambridge 1972).
  • Friedländer, Ludwig, Roman Life and Manners under the Early Empire 4 vv. (NY, reprint of ed. 1908-1913).
5/17/2003

 

May 25, 2009 2:57 PM

John Paul Adams, CSUN
john.p.adams@csun.edu

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