THE OYSTER CULTURE OF THE ANCIENT ROMANS. 3G1 



that in stormy weather the waves rolled right into the lake from the 

 sea (Strabo). It is further recorded that Grata became involved in 

 a lawsuit with one Considius, who held that the Lucrine waters had 

 been leased to him by the State, whose property they really were. 



Notwithstanding his lawsuit he derived, writes Pliny, great protit 

 from the oysters which he grew in his " ostrearum vivarium," and 

 which he advertised as the finest obtainable. It must be remembered 

 that at that time Britain had not begun to supply the lioman market 

 with the much-praised Rutupian* oysters. 



In Pliny's day, oysters were brought by sea from Brundusium to the 

 Lucrine, where they were fattened after their long voyage. Pliny 

 unfortunately gives no details which might enable us to form some 

 opinion of what an " ostrearum vivarium " was like, although he has 

 plenty to say about the conditions favourable to their growth. He 

 states that they like the fresh water of streams falling into the sea ; in 

 the open sea they are small and rare. They grow best at the beginning 

 of summer, wherever the sunlight beats upon the bottom. If they 

 cannot be reached by the sun's rays they grow more slowly and eat 

 little for sadness. Tiie best are found on firm ground, on rocks, not 

 on sand or mud. They are not tolerant of being transplanted to other 

 waters. 



The only passage with which I am acquainted that may be 

 construed as referring to the artificial cultivation of oysters on ropes, 

 which will be described in detail below, occurs in the comparatively 

 late author Ausonius, who flourished in the latter half of the 

 fourth century a.d. Ausonius writes of oysters, quae Baianis pendent 

 Jluitantia palis. This to my mind means that at Baiiie the oysters 

 hang swaying about in the waves on the stakes — an interpretation 

 which agrees perfectly with the vase drawings to be described. 

 Ausonius certainly could not have applied the word Jluitantia to 

 oysters lying immovable on the bottom of the sea. 



Owing to the absence of any detailed description of artificial oyster 

 cultivation as practised by the Eomans, the two vase pictures have a 

 unique archteological interest, and constitute the only real foundation 

 for our knowledge of Koman oyster culture. 



One representation (Fig. 1) occurs upon a glass vase, which was 

 found at Piombino, the ancient Populonia, and was figured and 

 described by Donienico Sestini, when it formed part of the collection 

 of the Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Princess of Lucca di Piombino. 

 The vase is almost globular, with a narrow tubular neck. Its height is 

 25 cm. ; widest diameter 13 cm. The lower globular portion of the 

 vase is decorated with a scene, which has been identified with the coast 



* Iiirlilioriiujili. 



