Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

48 AGRICULTUIRA. AGRICULTUl.A.
circumstances that ought to weigh with a purchaser (f1amilia) was classed under three heads, 1. CObain making choice of a farm; for although a large ria. 2. Vinumz. 3. Pulmnentarium.
proportion of the work upon great estates was, 1. Cibaria. The servi colmpediti, being kept conduring the later ages at least of the Roman re- stantly in confinement, received their food in the
public, always performed by slaves, it was con- shape of bread at the rate of 4 pounds (Romanl
sidered advantageous to employ hirelings for those pound=-ll oz. avoirdupois) per diem in winter,
operations where a number of hands were re- and 5 pounds in summer, until the figs came in,
quired for a limited period, as in hay-making, when they went back to 4 pounds. The servi
the corn harvest, and the vintage, or, according to soluti received-their food in the shape of corn, at
the cold-blooded recommendation of Varro, in the rate of 4 modii (pecks) of wheat per month in
unhealthy situations where slaves would have died winter, and 41 in summer. Those persons, such
off fast, entailing a heavy loss on their owner. as the sillicus, the vil/ica, and the shepherd (opiOperarii consisted either of poor men with their lio), who had no hard manual labour to perform,
families, who were hired directly by the farmer, were allowed about one fourth less.
or of gangs (conductitiae liberorum oiperae) who 2. iineum. The quantity of wine allowed varied
entered into an engagement with a contractor much according to the season of the year, and the
(nercenarius), who in his turn bargained with the severity of the toil imposed, but a servus solutus
farmer for some piece of work in the slump, or received about 8 amphorae (nearly 48 imperial
lastly, of persons who had incurred debt which gallons) a year, and a servues comnpeditus about 10
they paid off in work to their creditors. This, aamphorae, besides lorc [see VINUM] at discretion
which was an ordinary practice in the earlier ages for three months after the vintage.
of the Roman republic, seems in later times to 3. Pubnentarium. As pulmentaria they received
have been confined to foreign countries, being com- olives which had fallen from the trees (oleae camon especially in Asia and Illyria. Free labourers ducae), then those ripe olives (oleae tenimpesticae),
worked under the inspection of an overseer (prae- from which the least amount of oil could be exfecthzs), whose zeal was stimulated by rewards of pressed, and, after the olives were all eaten up,
different kinds. salt fish (halec), and vinegar (acetzre). In addi2. Slaves (servi). Rustic slaves were divided tion to the above, each individual was allowed a
into two great classes, those who were placed sextarius (very nearly an imperial pint) of oil per
under no direct personal restraint (servi soluti), month, and a modius of salt per annum.
and those who worked in fetters (servi visncti) The clothing (vestisenta) of the rustic Iawhen abroad, and when at home were confined in bourers was of the most coarse description, but
a kind of prison (ergastulum), where they were such as to protect them effectually from cold and
guarded and their wants supplied by a gaoler (er- wet, enabling them to pursue their avocations in
gastularius). Slaves, moreover, in large establish- all weathers. It consisted of thick woollen blanket
ments, were ranked in bodies according to the shirts (tunicae), skin coats with long sleeves (pelles
duties which they were appointed to perform, it snanicatae), cloaks with hoods (saga cucsllata, ceLbeing a matter of obvious expediency that the culiones), patch-work wrappers (centones) made out
same individuals should be regularly employed in of the old and ragged garments, together with
the same tasks. Hence there were the ox-drivers strong sabots or wooden shoes (sculpozneae). A
(6buulci), who for the most part acted as plough- tunic was given every year, a saguam and a pair of
men also (aratores), the stable-men (jugarii), who sculponeae every other year.
harnessed the domestic animals and tended them The number of hands required to cultivate a
in their stalls, the vine-dressers (vinitores), the farm, depended almost entirely on the nature of
leaf-strippers (fr-ondatores), the ordinary labourers the crops.
(medicstini), and many other classified bodies. An amble farm of 200 jugers where the ordiThese, according to their respective occupations nary crops of corn and leguminous vegetables were
worked either singly, or in small gangs placed raised required two pairs of oxen, two bubulci and
under the charge of inspectors (magistri operum). six ordinary labourers, if free from trees, but if
When the owner (ronzinus) did not reside upon laid out as an arbustum, three additional hands.
the property and in person superintend the various An olive garden of 240 jugers required three
operations in progress, the whole farming esta- pairs of oxen, three asses for carrying manure
blishment was under the control of a general (asini ornati clitellarii), one ass for turning the
overseer (villicus, actor), himself a slave or freedman, mill, five score of sheep, a villicus, a villica, five
who regulated the work, distributed food and ordinary labourers, three bubulci, one ass-driver
clothing to the labourers, inspected the tools, (asinarius), one shepherd (opilio), one swineherd
kept a regular account of the stock, performed the (subulcus); in all twelve men and one woman.
stated sacrifices, bought what was necessary for A vineyard of 100 jugers required one pair of
the use of the household, and sold the produce of oxen, one pair of draught asses (asiesi plostrarii),
the farm, for which he accounted to the proprietor, one mill ass (asinus azolaris), a villicus, a villica,
except on very extensive estates where there was one bubulcus, one asinarius, one man to look after
usually a book-keeper (procurator) who managed the plantations of willows used for withes (sctie-.
the pecuniary transactions, and held the villicus in tarius), one subulcus, ten ordinary labourers; sn
check. With the villicus was associated a female all fifteen men and one woman. (Cat. 5, 56-59,
companion (cont2tbernalis mulier) called cillica, 10, 11; Varr. i. 19; Colum. i. 7, 8, ii.'12.)
who took charge of the female slaves, and the in- In what has been said above, we have assumed
door details of the family. The duties and quali- that the proprietor was also the farmer, but it was
fications of a villicus will be found enumerated by no means uncommon to let (locate) land to a
in Cat. c. 5, and Colum. i. 8; comp. Geopon. ii. tenant (politor, partiarius, Cat.; colonues, Varr.
44, 45. Colum.), who paid his rent either in money (penThe food of the slayes composing the household I sio; ad pecsiinim nauaeretain conduxit), as seems to