Rome, the Greek World, and the East, Vol. 2 - Government, Society, and Culture in the Roman Empire

The Fiscus in the First Two Centuries 63

tirelyunknown.Philo,however,indescribingthecondemnationofFlaccus,
makesclearthatsomeproportionofthepropertyatleasthadtogotothe
Aerarium:‘‘Aclearproofofthis[ofFlaccus’greatwealth]isthatwhileavast
numberofpropertiesbelongingtocondemnedpersonswassoldbypublic
auction, that of Flaccus alonewas reserved for the emperor, a fewarticles
onlybeingexceptedsoasnottoruncountertothelawenactedaboutper-
sonsconvictedonthesegrounds.’’^117 ButtheclaimsoftheFiscuscontinued
togrow,and,asJosephussaysofsomeJewscondemnedinCyreneinthereign
of Vespasian,agovernorcouldexpecttohavetherichprosecutedwithout
check if he confiscated their property for the emperor.^118 The Fiscus nor-
mally retained property it confiscated (in contrast to the Aerarium,which
sold such properties), though an Athenian inscription refers to thosewho
have bought the propertyof Hipparchus, and others, sold by the Fiscus.^119
Attemptsweremadetochecktheprocess;thusTrajanwroteinarescript,‘‘I
knowthatmypredecessors’avariceclaimedthepropertyoftheexiledforthe
fiscus,butsomethingotherbefitsmyclemency.’’^120 Similarly,Hadriannoted
thatmostgovernorshadbeeninthehabitofsellingthepersonaleffectsof
executedprisoners(pannicularia)andturningovertheproceedstotheFis-
cus—butthatwasoverlyconscientious.^121 Thesewerebothofcourseexten-
sionsoftheprinciple,butHadrian(accordingtotheHistoria Augusta)went
further in attempting to cut down the Fiscus’ claims and announced that
henceforwardbona damnatorumwould go solely to the Aerarium (damnato-
rum bona in fiscum privatum redigi vetuit, omni summa in aerario publico recepta).^122
Hisleadwasnotfollowed,andthelegalsourcesmakeclearthattheconse-
quenceof‘‘confiscationofpropertybythestate’’(publicatio bonorum)wasthe
receptionofthegoodsbytheFiscus.^123

117. Philo,In Flaccum150.


118. Jos.,BJ7, 9, 2 (446).


119. TheAthenianinscriptionisgivenbyAbbotandJohnson,Municipal Administration
     no.90,andre-editedbyJ.H.Oliver,The Ruling Power(TAPhS43,4,Philadelphia,1953),
     960–61.Seell.3–5andll.30–31.
     120.Dig.48,22,1.
     121.Dig.48,20,6.
     122.HA,Had.7,7.


120. See,e.g.,Dig.48,2,20;48,20,7–10passim;49,14,22,praef.;45,2;45,11;Frag.deiure
     fisci2,20.ComparethecasualreferencesinPlut.,Mor.484a—acondemnedman‘‘losthis
     propertywhichwastakenbyCaesar’streasury[tamieion]’’;andEuseb.,HE6,2,12,refer-
     ringtothecondemnationofOrigen’sfatherin203—‘‘andmyfather’spropertywastaken
     bytheimperialtreasuries.’’