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Total Categories: 6
The *aerarium militare* was established with the primary objective of funding the construction of new military roads throughout the Roman Empire.
Answer: False
The *aerarium militare* was established by Augustus primarily to provide pensions for retired soldiers (*praemia*), not for the construction of military roads.
Augustus instituted the *aerarium militare* principally to manage the logistics of troop movements across the Empire.
Answer: False
The *aerarium militare* was instituted by Augustus primarily to provide a dedicated fund for veteran pensions, thereby ensuring their retirement security and loyalty to the state, rather than managing troop movement logistics.
Augustus initially capitalized the *aerarium militare* fund with 170 million sesterces of his own money.
Answer: True
Augustus personally contributed 170 million sesterces to initially capitalize the *aerarium militare* fund in 6 AD, alongside voluntary contributions from client kings and cities.
Historical evidence definitively establishes the *aerarium militare* as exclusively a physical storehouse for collected currency.
Answer: False
The precise physical nature of the *aerarium militare* remains uncertain; it may have functioned as both a physical repository and an administrative office, rather than solely a storehouse.
The term *aerarium militare* translates to 'military treasury' of Imperial Rome.
Answer: True
The Latin term *aerarium militare* directly translates to 'military treasury,' referring to the specific fund established by Augustus for the purpose of providing pensions to Roman army veterans.
The *aerarium militare* was essentially the same as the general *aerarium* (public treasury) but located in a different building.
Answer: False
The *aerarium militare* was distinct from the general *aerarium* (public treasury). While both dealt with state funds, the *aerarium militare* was specifically dedicated to military pensions and funded by particular taxes, whereas the general *aerarium* handled broader state finances.
The *aerarium militare* was established to provide pensions for retired civil servants.
Answer: False
The *aerarium militare* was specifically established to provide pensions for veterans of the Imperial Roman army, not for civil servants.
What was the principal function of the *aerarium militare* within the Roman Imperial system?
Answer: To provide pensions (*praemia*) for veterans of the Imperial Roman army.
The primary and principal function of the *aerarium militare* was to serve as a dedicated fund for providing pensions (*praemia*) to veterans of the Imperial Roman army upon their honorable discharge.
Who instituted the *aerarium militare*?
Answer: Emperor Augustus
The *aerarium militare* was instituted by Emperor Augustus, the first Roman emperor, as part of his comprehensive reforms aimed at stabilizing the empire and securing the loyalty of the military.
How did Augustus initially capitalize the *aerarium militare* fund?
Answer: With his own money and voluntary contributions from client kings and cities.
Augustus initially capitalized the *aerarium militare* with 170 million sesterces of his personal funds, supplemented by voluntary contributions from client kings and cities.
What is uncertain about the physical nature of the *aerarium militare*?
Answer: Whether it was primarily a physical storehouse or an administrative office.
Scholarly analysis of the available historical sources does not definitively clarify whether the *aerarium militare* functioned primarily as a physical repository for currency or as an administrative office for managing financial transactions.
What does the term *aerarium militare* translate to?
Answer: Military Treasury
The Latin term *aerarium militare* directly translates to 'military treasury,' referring to the specific fund established for the purpose of providing pensions to Roman army veterans.
What was the primary difference between the *aerarium militare* and the general *aerarium* (public treasury)?
Answer: The *aerarium militare* was for military pensions funded by specific taxes, while the general *aerarium* handled broader state finances.
The key distinction lies in their purpose and funding: the *aerarium militare* was specifically designated for military pensions and supported by dedicated taxes, whereas the general *aerarium* served as the primary treasury for all other state expenditures.
The primary funding sources for the *aerarium militare* comprised newly instituted taxes, specifically an inheritance tax and a sales tax.
Answer: True
The principal funding sources for the *aerarium militare* were new taxes, notably the 5 percent inheritance tax (*vicesima hereditatium*) and a 1 percent sales tax on auction goods (*centesima rerum venalium*).
The *vicesima hereditatium* was a sales tax levied on goods sold at auction.
Answer: False
The *vicesima hereditatium* was a 5 percent inheritance tax, distinct from the *centesima rerum venalium*, which was the 1 percent sales tax on goods sold at auction.
The *centesima rerum venalium* was an inheritance tax designed to fund the military treasury.
Answer: False
The *centesima rerum venalium* was a 1 percent sales tax on goods sold at auction, not an inheritance tax. The inheritance tax was known as the *vicesima hereditatium*.
The *vicesima hereditatium* taxed all inheritances, irrespective of the relationship between the deceased and the heir.
Answer: False
The *vicesima hereditatium* had exemptions; inheritances left to immediate family members and small estates were not subject to the tax.
Client kings and cities provided mandatory contributions to fund the *aerarium militare*.
Answer: False
Client kings and cities made voluntary contributions to the *aerarium militare*, but these were not mandatory, and the primary funding came from specific taxes.
The *praemia* were taxes levied to fund the military treasury.
Answer: False
The *praemia* were the pensions or discharge benefits paid *from* the military treasury (*aerarium militare*), not the taxes levied to fund it. Taxes like the *vicesima hereditatium* provided the revenue.
The phrase 'permanent revenue source' implies the *aerarium militare* relied solely on initial government appropriations.
Answer: False
A 'permanent revenue source' implies continuous funding through ongoing mechanisms, such as dedicated taxes, rather than relying solely on initial appropriations. The *aerarium militare* was funded by specific taxes designed for longevity.
The *vicesima hereditatium* was exempt for inheritances left to close family members.
Answer: True
The 5 percent inheritance tax (*vicesima hereditatium*) included exemptions for inheritances passed to members of the deceased's immediate family, as well as for small estates.
Which of the following was a primary source of funding for the *aerarium militare*?
Answer: A 5 percent inheritance tax (*vicesima hereditatium*)
A significant source of funding for the *aerarium militare* was the *vicesima hereditatium*, a 5 percent tax levied on inheritances, alongside other taxes such as the *centesima rerum venalium*.
What was the *vicesima hereditatium*?
Answer: A 5 percent inheritance tax.
The *vicesima hereditatium* was a 5 percent tax imposed on inheritances, serving as a crucial revenue stream for the *aerarium militare*.
Which tax was levied on goods sold at auction to help fund the *aerarium militare*?
Answer: The *centesima rerum venalium*
The *centesima rerum venalium* was a 1 percent sales tax applied to goods sold at auction, contributing to the funding of the *aerarium militare*.
What were the exemptions for the *vicesima hereditatium* (inheritance tax)?
Answer: Inheritances left to immediate family members and small estates.
The *vicesima hereditatium* provided exemptions for inheritances bequeathed to members of the deceased's immediate family and for estates valued below a certain threshold, mitigating its impact on close relatives and smaller fortunes.
The *praefecti aerarii militaris* were responsible for collecting the taxes that funded the military treasury.
Answer: False
The *praefecti aerarii militaris* oversaw the military treasury, but their duties did not include the direct collection of taxes; that function was handled by other imperial officials.
Augustus readily accepted all suggestions from senators regarding how to enhance revenue for the *aerarium militare*.
Answer: False
When the initial funding proved insufficient, Augustus solicited proposals from senators but ultimately rejected all their suggestions before imposing the inheritance tax himself.
During the reign of Nero, the *aerarium militare* was located in a provincial administrative center.
Answer: False
Evidence, such as a military diploma from 65 AD, indicates that the *aerarium militare* was located on the Capitoline Hill in Rome during Nero's reign, not in a provincial center.
The *praefecti aerarii militaris* were consistently chosen by lot from former praetors throughout their entire history.
Answer: False
Initially, the *praefecti aerarii militaris* were chosen by lot from former praetors, but this practice evolved, and they were later appointed directly by the emperor.
Lictors were assigned to all prefects of the *aerarium militaris*, regardless of their method of appointment.
Answer: False
Initially, senatorial prefects of the *aerarium militaris* were assigned lictors, but later prefects appointed by the emperor did not receive this distinction, indicating a change in the office's status.
The *praefecti aerarii militaris* were initially chosen by lot from former praetors.
Answer: True
Initially, the three *praefecti aerarii militaris* were selected by lot from the ranks of former praetors, signifying that individuals with prior high-level administrative experience oversaw the treasury.
What was the role of the *praefecti aerarii militaris*?
Answer: To oversee the military treasury.
The *praefecti aerarii militaris* were officials tasked with overseeing the administration and management of the military treasury, although they were not directly involved in tax collection.
Where was the *aerarium militare* located during the reign of Nero?
Answer: On the Capitoline Hill
Historical evidence indicates that during Emperor Nero's reign, the *aerarium militare* was situated on the Capitoline Hill in Rome, a significant administrative and religious center.
How did the selection of *praefecti aerarii militaris* evolve over time?
Answer: They transitioned from being chosen by lot to direct imperial appointment.
Initially, the *praefecti aerarii militaris* were selected by lot from former praetors. Over time, this practice shifted, and they began to be appointed directly by the emperor, indicating a consolidation of imperial control.
What did the role of former *praetors* in overseeing the *aerarium militaris* indicate?
Answer: That the administration of the treasury was entrusted to individuals with significant prior governmental experience.
The initial appointment of former *praetors* as *praefecti aerarii militaris* indicated that the administration of this crucial financial institution was entrusted to individuals who possessed substantial prior experience in Roman governance and public administration.
Veteran provisions during the Roman Republic typically involved monetary pensions funded by taxes, analogous to the system later established by the *aerarium militare*.
Answer: False
Veteran provisions during the Roman Republic commonly involved land redistribution or property confiscation, which often proved socially disruptive. The *aerarium militare* introduced a system of monetary pensions funded by specific taxes.
The professionalization of the Roman army resulted in soldiers serving shorter terms and requiring less structured retirement benefits.
Answer: False
The professionalization of the Roman army led to longer service terms and a greater reliance on the state for retirement benefits, necessitating a structured system like the *aerarium militare*.
Land redistributions for veterans during the late Roman Republic were generally welcomed by the senatorial aristocracy.
Answer: False
Land redistributions for veterans during the late Republic often involved confiscating land from the aristocracy, leading to significant elite resentment and opposition.
At the end of Augustus's reign, a regular legionary received a pension of 20,000 sesterces upon honorable discharge.
Answer: False
At the end of Augustus's reign, a regular legionary received a pension of 12,000 sesterces, while a Praetorian Guard received 20,000 sesterces.
A legionary's retirement benefit in the 1st century AD was roughly equivalent to 12 years of his service pay.
Answer: True
In the 1st century AD, the discharge benefit (*praemium*) for a legionary from the *aerarium militare* was approximately equivalent to 12 years of their service pay, representing a substantial retirement sum.
Under Emperor Caracalla, the pension amount for a legionary was decreased to 12,000 sesterces.
Answer: False
Under Emperor Caracalla, the pension amount for a legionary was increased to 20,000 sesterces, not decreased.
A *donativum* was a regular pension paid to soldiers upon honorable discharge.
Answer: False
A *donativum* was an irregular cash 'gift' from an emperor to secure troop loyalty, typically upon accession, distinct from the regular, earned pension (*praemium*) provided by the *aerarium militare*.
The *praemium* was the term for the discharge benefit or pension for Roman soldiers.
Answer: True
The term *praemium* specifically refers to the discharge benefit or pension that Roman soldiers received upon honorable discharge (*honesta missio*) after completing their required service.
By providing monetary pensions, the *aerarium militare* eliminated the need for land redistribution for veterans.
Answer: True
The introduction of monetary pensions via the *aerarium militare* served as an alternative to the land redistribution practices common in the Republic, thereby reducing social disruption and elite opposition associated with land confiscations.
The *praetor* was the primary recipient of pensions from the *aerarium militare*.
Answer: False
The *aerarium militare* provided pensions (*praemia*) to veterans of the army, not to *praetors*, who were high-ranking magistrates. Former *praetors* did, however, serve as administrators (*praefecti*) of the treasury.
At the end of Augustus's reign, a Praetorian Guard received a pension of 12,000 sesterces.
Answer: False
At the end of Augustus's reign, a Praetorian Guard received a pension of 20,000 sesterces, while a regular legionary received 12,000 sesterces.
The *aerarium militare* provided a permanent, earned retirement benefit, unlike the irregular *donativum*.
Answer: True
The *aerarium militare* ensured regular, earned pensions (*praemia*) for veterans upon honorable discharge, contrasting with the *donativum*, which was an irregular cash gift from an emperor to secure immediate loyalty.
How did the *aerarium militare*'s provision for veterans differ from practices during the Roman Republic?
Answer: It provided monetary pensions funded by taxes, unlike the Republic's land settlements.
During the Republic, veteran provisions often involved land settlements or confiscations, which could be contentious. The *aerarium militare* introduced a system of monetary pensions funded by specific taxes, offering a more stable and less disruptive method of supporting retired soldiers.
The professionalization of the Roman army created what challenge regarding veterans?
Answer: A need for a structured system to manage pensions for long-serving soldiers.
As the Roman army became more professionalized with longer service terms, there arose a significant need for a structured and reliable system to manage the pensions and retirement benefits for these career soldiers.
Why were land redistributions for veterans problematic during the late Roman Republic?
Answer: They involved confiscating land from the aristocracy, causing elite resentment.
Land redistributions for veterans during the late Republic frequently entailed confiscating land from established aristocratic landowners, which generated significant opposition and resentment among the elite.
What was the required service length for a soldier in the regular army to receive a discharge benefit (*praemium*)?
Answer: 20 years
Soldiers in the regular Roman army typically had to complete twenty years of service to qualify for the discharge benefit (*praemium*) funded by the *aerarium militare*.
What was the pension amount for a regular legionary at the end of Augustus's reign?
Answer: 12,000 sesterces
At the conclusion of Augustus's reign, a regular legionary was entitled to a pension of 12,000 sesterces upon honorable discharge.
How did the retirement benefit for a legionary compare to his service pay in the 1st century AD?
Answer: It was equivalent to about 12 years of service pay.
In the 1st century AD, the discharge benefit (*praemium*) received by a legionary from the *aerarium militare* was approximately equal to 12 years of their regular service pay.
Under Emperor Caracalla, what was the pension amount for a legionary?
Answer: 20,000 sesterces
Emperor Caracalla increased the pension amount for legionaries to 20,000 sesterces, representing a significant enhancement of veteran benefits.
What was a *donativum* in the context of the Roman army?
Answer: A cash 'gift' from a new emperor to secure troop loyalty.
A *donativum* was a sum of money given as a gift, typically by a new emperor to the troops upon his accession, intended to secure their loyalty rather than serving as a regular retirement pension.
What does the term *praemium* refer to in relation to the *aerarium militare*?
Answer: The discharge benefit or pension for veterans.
Within the context of the *aerarium militare*, the term *praemium* denotes the discharge benefit or pension granted to soldiers upon honorable completion of their service.
What was the approximate value of a Praetorian Guard's pension in sesterces at the end of Augustus's reign?
Answer: 20,000 sesterces
Upon honorable discharge at the end of Augustus's reign, a Praetorian Guard received a pension of 20,000 sesterces, a higher amount than that allocated to regular legionaries.
What does the term *honesta missio* refer to?
Answer: An honorable discharge from military service.
*Honesta missio* signifies an honorable discharge from military service in ancient Rome, a prerequisite for receiving the veteran pension (*praemium*) funded by the *aerarium militare*.
According to Suetonius, a key motivation for establishing the *aerarium militare* was to prevent retired soldiers from supporting coups or fomenting unrest.
Answer: True
The historian Suetonius indicated that a significant reason for creating the *aerarium militare* was to provide secure pensions to veterans, thereby mitigating the risk of them becoming a destabilizing force or supporting challenges to imperial authority.
The *aerarium militare* contributed to redirecting veteran loyalty away from individual commanders and towards the state.
Answer: True
By providing state-guaranteed monetary pensions, the *aerarium militare* shifted the soldier's primary allegiance from their immediate commanding officer to the Roman state and the emperor, thereby fostering greater imperial stability.
If the *aerarium militare* faced a shortfall, an emperor might arbitrarily extend military service lengths to delay pension payouts.
Answer: True
In instances of financial shortfall within the *aerarium militare*, emperors could resort to arbitrarily extending the required service length for soldiers, thereby delaying or reducing the payout of retirement benefits and potentially impacting troop morale.
The Augustan fiscal initiative, including the *aerarium militare*, was initially met with widespread approval.
Answer: False
The introduction of new taxes to fund the *aerarium militare* was initially met with hostility and unpopularity, indicating a lack of widespread approval for the fiscal measures.
The *aerarium militare* contributed to imperial stability by reducing the risk of disgruntled veterans causing unrest.
Answer: True
By providing a reliable system of pensions, the *aerarium militare* helped ensure that veterans had a secure retirement, thereby diminishing the likelihood of them becoming a source of social unrest or political instability.
The *aerarium militare* represented a move towards decentralized control over military finances compared to the Republic.
Answer: False
The establishment of the *aerarium militare* signified a move towards centralized control over military finances, with the state, under the emperor, managing veteran benefits, contrasting with the more decentralized and often ad hoc practices of the Republic.
The *aerarium militare* enhanced the emperor's authority by making him the direct provider of veteran pensions.
Answer: True
By institutionalizing veteran pensions under the *aerarium militare*, the emperor became the direct benefactor, fostering a stronger sense of loyalty among soldiers and veterans towards the imperial office and strengthening his overall authority.
According to Suetonius, why was the *aerarium militare* established?
Answer: To prevent retired soldiers from causing unrest or supporting coups.
Suetonius noted that a primary motivation for establishing the *aerarium militare* was to ensure that retired soldiers received adequate pensions, thereby preventing them from becoming a source of instability or supporting potential coups against the emperor.
How did the *aerarium militare* contribute to redirecting veteran loyalty?
Answer: By ensuring veterans received state-supported monetary benefits upon discharge.
The *aerarium militare* provided veterans with state-supported monetary pensions upon honorable discharge. This system fostered loyalty towards the Roman state and the emperor, rather than solely towards individual commanders.
What measure might an emperor take if the *aerarium militare* faced a shortfall in funds?
Answer: Arbitrarily extend the length of military service for soldiers.
In situations where the *aerarium militare* experienced financial difficulties, emperors could extend the mandatory service length for soldiers, thereby delaying pension payouts and managing shortfalls.
How was the Augustan fiscal initiative, which included the *aerarium militare*, initially received?
Answer: With hostility and unpopularity.
The introduction of new taxes to fund the *aerarium militare* was met with considerable hostility and unpopularity, indicating public resistance to the fiscal measures, despite the beneficial purpose.
How did the *aerarium militare* contribute to the stability of the Roman Empire?
Answer: By reducing the likelihood of disgruntled former soldiers causing unrest.
The *aerarium militare* fostered imperial stability by ensuring that veterans received their pensions, thereby mitigating the potential for discontented former soldiers to engage in disruptive activities or challenge state authority.
How did the *aerarium militare* represent a shift in Roman governance?
Answer: It established a permanent, state-funded institution for veteran benefits.
The *aerarium militare* marked a significant shift by establishing a permanent, state-funded institution dedicated to veteran benefits, moving away from the ad hoc and often commander-dependent practices of the Republic towards a more centralized imperial system.
How did the *aerarium militare* help address the issue of social disruption caused by veteran settlements?
Answer: By providing monetary pensions instead of requiring land redistribution.
The *aerarium militare* provided monetary pensions as an alternative to land redistribution, thereby mitigating the social disruption and elite opposition that often accompanied the settlement of veterans on land during the Republic.
How did the *aerarium militare* enhance the emperor's authority?
Answer: By making the emperor the direct provider of veteran pensions, fostering loyalty.
The *aerarium militare* strengthened the emperor's authority by positioning him as the direct provider of pensions to veterans, thereby cultivating their loyalty and reinforcing his role as the ultimate guarantor of military welfare and imperial stability.
Augustus did not mention the *aerarium militare* in his autobiographical inscription, the *Res Gestae Divi Augusti*.
Answer: False
Augustus explicitly mentioned the establishment and purpose of the *aerarium militare* in his *Res Gestae Divi Augusti*, highlighting it as a significant achievement of his reign.
Pliny the Younger served as a prefect of the *aerarium militaris* under Emperor Domitian.
Answer: True
The Roman author and magistrate Pliny the Younger held the position of prefect of the *aerarium militaris*, appointed by Emperor Domitian.
Augustus's inclusion of the *aerarium militare* in his *Res Gestae* was intended to downplay its significance.
Answer: False
Augustus included the *aerarium militare* in his *Res Gestae* to highlight it as a major accomplishment and to promote his image as a ruler concerned with the welfare of his soldiers and the stability of the empire.
The *Res Gestae Divi Augusti* was a decree issued by the Senate regarding military finances.
Answer: False
The *Res Gestae Divi Augusti* was an autobiographical inscription commissioned by Augustus himself, detailing his achievements, rather than a senatorial decree.
In which autobiographical inscription did Augustus mention the establishment of the *aerarium militare*?
Answer: The *Res Gestae Divi Augusti*
Augustus documented the creation and purpose of the *aerarium militare* in his *Res Gestae Divi Augusti*, an autobiographical account of his achievements published posthumously.
What was the significance of Augustus including the *aerarium militare* in his *Res Gestae*?
Answer: To highlight it as a major accomplishment and promote his image.
Augustus's inclusion of the *aerarium militare* in the *Res Gestae* served as a deliberate act of self-promotion, showcasing it as a key achievement that demonstrated his commitment to soldier welfare and imperial stability.