FRUMENTA´RII
FRUMENTA´RII sc.
negotiatores, corn-dealers or corn-merchants (Cic.
de
Off. 3.13.57;
Liv. 4.12). The
latter passage shows their unpopularity in times of scarcity; they were
liable to the same charges of “forestalling and regrating” as
the Athenian
σιτοπῶλαι, and, we may be
reminded, as the corn-dealers of modern Europe, England included, until the
present century [
SITOS]. On the
Frumentarii of the legions, see
EXERCITUS p. 793
a; on the
commissariat in general, p. 812
a. A few
further particulars may be given here. The frumentarii mentioned by Caesar,
or rather Hirtius (
B. G. 8.35), are not, as sometimes stated,
Roman legionary officers, but Gauls supplying the enemy; and it is uncertain
when they were first introduced into the Roman armies. The earliest notice
of their employment as spies occurs under Hadrian (Spart.
Hadr. 11); not only in the provinces, but in Rome itself,
they were constantly sending private reports to the emperor (Capitolin.
Macrin. 12,
Commod. 4,
Max. et Balb. 10; Trebell. Poll.
Claud.
17). This led naturally to false accusation and blackmailing (
cuncta foede diripiebant, Aurel. Vict.
de
Caes. 39.44); and their office was at length abolished by
Diocletian. (Cf. Marquardt,
Staatsverw. ii.2 492-3 = ii.1 476-7; Henzen, in
Bull.
dell' Inst. 1884, pp. 21-29.)
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