DISCOVERY 



55 



Roman Trade Societies 



By E. V. Arnold, Litt.D. 



Pro/essor of Latin In University College, Bangor 



The history of past times always offers a rich field for 

 liscover3\ Sometimes new records are disinterred, or 

 M ones for the first time interpreted, as in the case of 

 the arrow-head inscriptions on bricks or the palaces 

 ind temples of perished cities. More often discoveries 

 ire made by the combination of existing material ; 

 md this is particularly the case with the Roman 

 Empire of the imperial period. Over great areas of 

 Europe, Africa, and Asia Minor have been found 

 scattered thousands of inscriptions bearing witness to 

 the Roman civihsation of the time ; and we have 

 voluminous law books from which information of the 

 ;ame kind may be collected. Chiefly from these sources 

 .ve are now able to reconstruct the history of Roman 

 trade societies over many centuries, and even to trace 

 in this connection a progressive development which 

 seems to contain some elements of inevitability. The 

 itory of the trade societies may be said to reflect the 

 whole history of the rise and decay of Roman 

 :ivilisation. 



We hear of certain societies or guilds in the earhest 

 days of Rome ; these are the so-called " colleges " of 

 musicians, goldsmiths, dyers, tailors, tanners, copper- 

 jmiths, and potters. All these are travelling trades, 

 ind stand contrasted with the agricultural labourers 

 md those who practised home industries. 



The latter groups were sufficiently organised in the 

 patriarchal household, with its family discipline and 

 its daily reUgious observances. The musicians, dj'ers, 

 and so forth felt the need of constructing some kind of 

 family system amongst themselves. The first step 

 was to select a protecting deity, such as Mercury or 

 Minerva ; the next to institute at least an annual 

 festival, in which the honouring of the god was joined 

 to the enjoyment of his worshippers. Thus the socie- 

 ties were concerned with religious and social interests, 

 and only indirectly promoted the material advance- 

 ment of the members of each trade. 



For all that they were at first regarded with suspicion 

 by the Roman Government, as possible centres of dis- 

 order or revolution. And, in fact, they played a con- 

 siderable part at election times, at which an organisa- 

 tion always counts for more than an individual. Several 

 times laws were passed to suppress the societies alto- 

 gether, but they were never effective. WTien Octavian 

 established monarchy at Rome after the Battle of 

 Actium in 31 B.C., one of his first public acts was to 

 place the colleges under control. He therefore required 

 that each particular college should obtain authorisation 

 from the Senate ; for which it would need either to 



[Continued o» p. 56 



DISCOVERY of 

 MONEY in DRAWING 



Before anything can be made or sold, before any new jilay, 

 product, or periodical can be launched, someone has to make 

 practical drawin^js. 



The Editor of " Drawing and Deiign " states that : 



" There are not enough artists to cope with the work that 

 wants doing, and the man trained rightly in the application of 

 Art to Commerce is in an enviable position to-day." 



Advertisers, publishers, and printers everywhere are clamour- 

 ing for more sketches. 



The reasons for this happy state of affairs are the revival of 

 [irinting, and recognition of the value of illustrated advertisements. 



CHAS. E. DAWSON (Artist Creator oj the DAWSON 

 GIRL, and Founder of Great Britain s FIRST and greatest 

 Correspondence ART College) is training men and women in all 

 parts o( the Empire to earn money by Art work — and to earn 

 while learning. 



Tl'markabU Letter from JOSEPH SIMPSON, R.B.A. 



" My dear Dawson, 



For years I have been hearing good things aboui yon and yc 



'the goods," 

 and lU-stify the high prai-;e your students 

 bc-stow upon theiQ. It would have been a 

 boon if I had had your Course when I 

 was trying to solve the beginner's prob- 

 lem — How to make saleable drawings 

 and sell them — at tbe commencement 



you can Draw 

 this 'Datoson Girl 



You can learn— and earn While 

 learning— to illustrate Posters, 

 Covers, Advts., Oc. 



J. POOLE & CO. 



ESTABLISHED 1854 

 SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATIONAL 



BOOKSELLERS 



Second-hand Books at about Half Published 

 Price. .'. New Books at Discount Price 



inquiries bn letter receice immediate attention 



104 CHARING CROSS RD., LONDON, W.C.2 



Telephane-GERRARD 1646 



