Finanzliteralität im Imperium Romanum am Beispiel der argentarii und signiferi: Dokumentationsexperten im zivilen und militärischen Finanzwesen (späte Republik – Prinzipatszeit)

Abstract

Taking a comparative approach, this article examines the documentary tasks and procedures of Roman bankers (argentarii) and of the treasurers of the Roman army (signiferi) as well as the prerequisite skills and personal qualities expected of these men. In addition, it is argued that both documentary sectors used a common pool of established scribal conventions and techniques which, with the aid of insights from the military documentation, encourage at least partial reconstruction of the argentarii’s documentation, known to us mostly through indirect evidence only.