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Edict on Maximum Prices

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82: 298:, working from Sherard's copy of the Stratonikeia inscription and a fragment purchased in Alexandria and subsequently brought to Aix-en-Provence. A comprehensive edition of all fragments known by the end of the 19th century was edited by Theodor Mommsen with commentary by Hugo Blümner; this edition formed the basis for a new text and English translation published in 1940 by Elsa Graser, who also incorporated fragments found after the publication of Mommsen's edition. Two further critical editions were published in the early 1970s, and new fragments have continued to be discovered. 25: 97: 149:
The Edict exists only in fragments found mainly in the eastern part of the empire, where Diocletian ruled. The reconstructed fragments have been sufficient to estimate many prices for goods and services for historical economists (although the Edict attempts to set maximum prices, not fixed ones). It
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It is difficult to know exactly how the coinage was changed, as the values and even the names of coins are often unknown or have been lost in the historical record. Although the decree was nominally successful for a short time after it was imposed, market forces led to more and more of the decree
189:, who blamed the emperors for the inflation and told of fighting and bloodshed that erupted from price tampering. By the end of Diocletian's reign in 305, the Edict was for all practical purposes ignored. The Roman economy as a whole was not substantively stabilized until 406:– for well over a thousand products. These products included various food items (beef, grain, wine, beer, sausages, etc.), clothing (shoes, cloaks, etc.), freight charges for sea travel, and weekly wages. The highest limit was on one pound of 261:
No complete copy of the decree has been found. The text has been reconstructed from fragments of Greek and Latin copies at a number of different sites, most of them in the eastern provinces of Roman empire:
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Earlier in his reign, as well as in 301 around the same time as the Edict on Prices, Diocletian issued Currency Decrees, which attempted to reform the system of taxation and to stabilize the coinage.
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tribes attacking the empire. Merchants were forbidden to take their goods elsewhere and charge a higher price, and transport costs could not be used as an excuse to raise prices.
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in Caria was the first to be discovered and copied, by William Sherard, the English consul at Smyrna, in 1709. The first attempt at a composite text was made in 1826 by
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and its fractions (although some modern writers call this the "denarius communis", this phrase is a modern invention, and is not found in any ancient text). The
776: 376:. This inflation is understood to be the reason the decree was issued. Issues of economic system feedback were not well understood at the time. 713: 686: 1096: 46: 1111: 1131: 1126: 1001: 68: 1106: 81: 1116: 430:
Each cell represents the ratio of the coin in the column to the coin in the row: thus 1000 denarii were worth 1 solidus.
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Isager, Jacob (2019). "Two New Halikarnassian Fragments of Diocletian's Price Edict, one with Additions to the Chapter
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Edictum Diocletiani et Collegarum de Pretiis Rerum Venalium in integrum fere restitutum e Latinis Graecisque Fragmentis
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Crawford, Michael H.; Reynolds, Joyce (1975). "The Publication of the Prices Edict: A New Inscription from Aezani".
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Although incomplete, enough of the text is preserved to make the general structure and contents of the edict clear.
703: 50: 731: 1101: 993: 384: 146:. The document denounces greed and sets maximum prices and wages for all important articles and services. 362: 190: 173:
The Edict on Maximum Prices is still the longest surviving piece of legislation from the period of the
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Erim, K. T.; Reynolds, Joyce (1973). "The Aphrodisias Copy of Diocletian's Edict on Maximum Prices".
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The first two-thirds of the Edict doubled the value of the copper and billon coins, and set the
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to reduce the underlying metallic value of coins used to pay soldiers and public officials.
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Doyle, E. J. (1976). "Two New Fragments of the Edict of Diocletian on Maximum Prices".
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An Edict of Diocletian Fixing a Maximum of Prices throughout the Roman Empire, A.D. 303
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Corcoran, Simon (2008). "The Heading of Diocletian's Prices Edict at Stratonicea".
287: 339:, and the bronze radiate at 4 or 5 denarii. The copper laureate was raised from 1 821: 804: 388: 206: 159: 1041: 990:
The Empire of the Tetrarchs, Imperial Pronouncements and Government AD 284–324
271: 218: 210: 178: 155: 143: 116: 752: 453: 392: 373: 317: 283: 186: 174: 357:(although one document calls it a "solidus" it was still heavier than the 315:, which Diocletian hoped to replace with a new system based on the silver 96: 473: 311: 182: 109: 967: 843:
An Economic Survey of Ancient Rome, vol. 5: Rome and Italy of the Empire
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All coins in the Decrees and the Edict were valued according to the
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Prices given in the price edict as compared with modern prices, at
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During the previous decades the decreasing amount of silver in the
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The last third of the Edict, divided into 32 sections, imposed a
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In the edict of Diocletian, it was mentioned that the wine from
134:, "Edict Concerning the Sale Price of Goods"; also known as the 105: 18: 652:"The Common People of Ancient Rome, by Frank Frost Abbott" 286:. The version of the decree inscribed on the wall of the 875:. Genoa: Istituto di Storia Antica e Scienze Ausiliarie. 235:
was the most expensive wine, together with Falerno.
228:being disregarded and reinterpreted over time. 702:Sandler, Merton; Pinder, Roger (2002-12-19). 8: 839:"The Edict of Diocletian on Maximum Prices" 956:Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 777:Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 69:Learn how and when to remove this message 820:Mommsen, Theodor; Blümner, Hugo (1893). 432: 239:was produced in Picenum, in the city of 32:This article includes a list of general 643: 678:Food in the Ancient World from A to Z 7: 1042:"The Prices Edict at Geraki, Greece" 1040:Corcoran, Simon (15 December 2009). 100:One of four pieces of the edict (in 217:who minted their own coins, using 38:it lacks sufficient corresponding 14: 132:Edictum de Pretiis Rerum Venalium 193:'s coinage reforms in the 310s. 23: 1057:from the original on 2021-12-21 823:Der Maximaltarif des Diocletian 353:was revalued at at least 1,200 803:Leake, William Martin (1826). 705:Wine: A Scientific Exploration 325:seems to have been set at 100 177:. The Edict was criticized by 16:301 edict issued by Diocletian 1: 1026:Aphrodisias in Late Antiquity 1011:Kropff, Antony (2016-04-27). 213:by the numerous emperors and 675:Dalby, Andrew (2013-04-15). 422:was set at the same price). 115:of St. John Chrysostomos in 1097:Crisis of the Third Century 856:Lauffer, Siegfried (1971). 414:, which was set at 150,000 203:Crisis of the Third Century 1158: 1112:History of competition law 1028:. London: JRS Monograph 5. 681:. Routledge. p. 171. 142:) was issued in 301 AD by 85:Piece of the edict in the 871:Giacchero, Marta (1974). 708:. CRC Press. p. 66. 150:was probably issued from 1132:4th-century inscriptions 1127:300s in the Roman Empire 888:Journal of Roman Studies 732:Journal of Roman Studies 1107:Economy of ancient Rome 994:Oxford University Press 826:. Berlin: Georg Reimer. 124:Edict on Maximum Prices 53:more precise citations. 858:Diokletians Preisedikt 809:. London: John Murray. 119: 93: 860:. Berlin: De Gruyter. 837:Graser, Elsa (1940). 99: 84: 1117:4th century in Italy 1024:Roueche, C. (1989). 365:a few years later). 329:, the silver-washed 296:William Martin Leake 442: 437: 140:Edict of Diocletian 1092:4th century in law 438: 433: 372:coins had fuelled 249:, the old city of 158:and was set up in 120: 94: 715:978-0-203-36138-2 688:978-1-135-95422-2 656:www.gutenberg.org 635: 634: 435:Diocletian values 209:had been greatly 104:) re-used in the 79: 78: 71: 1149: 1066: 1064: 1062: 1046: 1029: 1020: 1007: 972: 971: 947: 941: 940: 918: 912: 911: 883: 877: 876: 868: 862: 861: 853: 847: 846: 834: 828: 827: 817: 811: 810: 800: 794: 793: 771: 765: 764: 726: 720: 719: 699: 693: 692: 672: 666: 665: 663: 662: 648: 582: 581: 577: 550: 549: 545: 443: 418:(the price of a 74: 67: 63: 60: 54: 49:this article by 40:inline citations 27: 26: 19: 1157: 1156: 1152: 1151: 1150: 1148: 1147: 1146: 1077: 1076: 1060: 1058: 1044: 1039: 1036: 1023: 1010: 1004: 986:Corcoran, Simon 984: 981: 979:Further reading 976: 975: 949: 948: 944: 920: 919: 915: 885: 884: 880: 870: 869: 865: 855: 854: 850: 836: 835: 831: 819: 818: 814: 802: 801: 797: 773: 772: 768: 728: 727: 723: 716: 701: 700: 696: 689: 674: 673: 669: 660: 658: 650: 649: 645: 640: 579: 575: 574: 547: 543: 542: 428: 304: 259: 237:Vinum Hadrianum 199: 136:Edict on Prices 87:Pergamon Museum 75: 64: 58: 55: 45:Please help to 44: 28: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1155: 1153: 1145: 1144: 1139: 1134: 1129: 1124: 1119: 1114: 1109: 1104: 1102:Price controls 1099: 1094: 1089: 1079: 1078: 1075: 1074: 1068: 1067: 1035: 1034:External links 1032: 1031: 1030: 1021: 1008: 1002: 980: 977: 974: 973: 942: 913: 900:10.2307/299169 878: 863: 848: 829: 812: 795: 766: 745:10.2307/370069 721: 714: 694: 687: 667: 642: 641: 639: 636: 633: 632: 629: 626: 623: 620: 617: 614: 610: 609: 606: 603: 600: 597: 594: 591: 587: 586: 583: 571: 568: 565: 562: 559: 555: 554: 551: 539: 536: 533: 530: 527: 523: 522: 519: 516: 513: 510: 507: 504: 500: 499: 496: 493: 490: 487: 484: 481: 477: 476: 471: 466: 461: 456: 451: 446: 440:(301–305 A.D.) 427: 424: 361:introduced by 303: 300: 258: 255: 198: 195: 77: 76: 31: 29: 22: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1154: 1143: 1140: 1138: 1135: 1133: 1130: 1128: 1125: 1123: 1120: 1118: 1115: 1113: 1110: 1108: 1105: 1103: 1100: 1098: 1095: 1093: 1090: 1088: 1085: 1084: 1082: 1073: 1070: 1069: 1056: 1052: 1051: 1043: 1038: 1037: 1033: 1027: 1022: 1018: 1014: 1009: 1005: 1003:0-19-815304-X 999: 995: 991: 987: 983: 982: 978: 969: 965: 961: 957: 953: 946: 943: 938: 934: 930: 926: 925: 917: 914: 909: 905: 901: 897: 893: 889: 882: 879: 874: 867: 864: 859: 852: 849: 844: 840: 833: 830: 825: 824: 816: 813: 808: 807: 799: 796: 791: 787: 783: 779: 778: 770: 767: 762: 758: 754: 750: 746: 742: 738: 734: 733: 725: 722: 717: 711: 707: 706: 698: 695: 690: 684: 680: 679: 671: 668: 657: 653: 647: 644: 637: 630: 627: 624: 621: 618: 615: 612: 611: 607: 604: 601: 598: 595: 592: 589: 588: 584: 572: 569: 566: 563: 560: 557: 556: 552: 540: 537: 534: 531: 528: 525: 524: 520: 517: 514: 511: 508: 505: 502: 501: 497: 494: 491: 488: 485: 482: 479: 478: 475: 472: 470: 467: 465: 462: 460: 457: 455: 452: 450: 447: 445: 444: 441: 436: 431: 425: 423: 421: 417: 413: 409: 405: 401: 400:price ceiling 396: 394: 390: 386: 382: 381:death penalty 377: 375: 371: 366: 364: 360: 356: 352: 351: 346: 342: 338: 334: 333: 328: 324: 320: 319: 314: 313: 307: 301: 299: 297: 293: 289: 285: 281: 277: 273: 269: 265: 256: 254: 252: 248: 244: 243: 238: 234: 229: 225: 222: 220: 216: 212: 208: 207:Roman coinage 204: 196: 194: 192: 188: 184: 180: 176: 171: 169: 165: 161: 157: 153: 147: 145: 141: 137: 133: 129: 125: 118: 114: 111: 108:frame of the 107: 103: 98: 92: 88: 83: 73: 70: 62: 52: 48: 42: 41: 35: 30: 21: 20: 1059:. Retrieved 1048: 1025: 1017:Academia.edu 1016: 989: 959: 955: 952:De Pigmentis 951: 945: 931:(1): 77–97. 928: 922: 916: 891: 887: 881: 872: 866: 857: 851: 842: 832: 822: 815: 805: 798: 781: 775: 769: 736: 730: 724: 704: 697: 677: 670: 659:. Retrieved 655: 646: 439: 434: 429: 415: 403: 402:– a list of 397: 378: 367: 358: 354: 348: 344: 340: 336: 330: 326: 322: 316: 310: 308: 305: 292:Stratonikeia 288:bouleuterion 260: 246: 240: 230: 226: 223: 200: 172: 160:inscriptions 148: 139: 135: 131: 123: 121: 65: 56: 37: 1061:16 December 962:: 185–195. 784:: 295–302. 739:: 160–163. 389:speculators 363:Constantine 347:. The gold 274:, mainland 257:Rediscovery 219:base metals 201:During the 191:Constantine 183:rhetorician 51:introducing 1142:Regulation 1137:Diocletian 1081:Categories 894:: 99–110. 661:2020-03-17 638:References 503:Argenteus 385:profiteers 272:Asia Minor 179:Lactantius 156:Alexandria 144:Diocletian 34:references 753:0075-4358 613:Denarius 590:Laureate 454:Argenteus 393:barbarian 374:inflation 323:argenteus 318:argenteus 284:Cyrenaica 187:Nicomedia 175:Tetrarchy 1055:Archived 988:(2000). 968:48632386 924:Hesperia 790:20476543 558:Radiate 480:Solidus 474:Denarius 469:Laureate 341:denarius 312:denarius 302:Contents 215:usurpers 110:medieval 59:May 2012 1050:YouTube 1045:(video) 616:1/1,000 578:⁄ 546:⁄ 526:Nummus 464:Radiate 449:Solidus 426:Coinage 416:denarii 359:solidus 355:denarii 345:denarii 337:denarii 327:denarii 264:Phrygia 233:Picenum 211:debased 197:History 152:Antioch 138:or the 47:improve 1122:Edicts 1000:  966:  937:147719 935:  908:299169 906:  788:  761:370069 759:  751:  712:  685:  498:1,000 459:Nummus 410:-dyed 408:purple 404:maxima 370:billon 350:aureus 335:at 25 332:nummus 282:, and 276:Greece 247:Hadria 242:Hatria 117:Geraki 113:Church 91:Berlin 36:, but 964:JSTOR 933:JSTOR 904:JSTOR 786:JSTOR 757:JSTOR 619:1/100 593:1/500 561:1/200 343:to 2 280:Crete 268:Caria 185:from 168:Latin 164:Greek 128:Latin 102:Greek 1063:2009 998:ISBN 749:ISSN 710:ISBN 683:ISBN 622:1/25 599:2/25 596:1/50 564:1/20 529:1/40 521:100 506:1/10 420:lion 412:silk 387:and 383:for 266:and 251:Atri 181:, a 166:and 122:The 106:door 1087:301 960:209 954:". 896:doi 782:166 741:doi 628:1/2 625:1/5 602:2/5 567:1/5 553:25 532:1/4 495:500 492:200 290:at 270:in 245:or 162:in 154:or 1083:: 1053:. 1047:. 1015:. 996:. 992:. 958:. 929:45 927:. 902:. 892:63 890:. 841:. 780:. 755:. 747:. 737:65 735:. 654:. 631:1 608:2 585:5 541:12 518:50 515:20 489:40 486:10 278:, 253:. 205:, 170:. 130:: 89:, 1065:. 1019:. 1006:. 970:. 939:. 910:. 898:: 792:. 763:. 743:: 718:. 691:. 664:. 605:1 580:2 576:1 573:2 570:1 548:2 544:1 538:5 535:1 512:4 509:1 483:1 126:( 72:) 66:( 61:) 57:( 43:.

Index

references
inline citations
improve
introducing
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Pergamon Museum
Berlin

Greek
door
medieval
Church
Geraki
Latin
Diocletian
Antioch
Alexandria
inscriptions
Greek
Latin
Tetrarchy
Lactantius
rhetorician
Nicomedia
Constantine
Crisis of the Third Century
Roman coinage
debased
usurpers

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