XX Introduction. 



with an Inscription at Salonae, relating to a guild 

 of artificers — Collegmm Fabrortnn veneris^ — and 

 belonging apparently to the fourth century of the 

 Christian era. Evidences of similar organiza- 

 tions have been discovered at Lyons, Marseilles, 

 and other parts of Roman Gaul, in ancient 

 Helvetia, in Britain itself, and elsewhere where 

 the Romans had colonies. vSome very interesting 

 testimony Is furnished by Orelll in his collection 

 of ancient inscriptions.^ 



Briefly stated, these collegia were associations 

 in which the members of each trade were united 

 together, not only for social intercourse, but for 

 the regulation of and self-protection in trade. 

 They possessed a common corporate fund, and 

 other characteristics ; on the whole, presenting a 

 striking analogy to the modern English trade 

 guilds, of which they are by many writers, and 

 with some amount of reason, considered to *be 

 the progenitors as they were the prototypes. 



Mr. Hallam is of opinion that the mediaeval 

 Guilds were institutions of independent origin 

 and had no connection with the collegia of the 

 Romans, and the present Bishop of Oxford and 

 Professor Freeman have clearly expressed a 



' The term fabri was a generic one applied generally to 

 workers in hard substances, such as the smiths, y^^r/ aerarii 

 oxferrari, and the c^x]yQn\.Qr?,^ fabri tig?tarii ; tho. fabri veneris 

 were craftsmen of a more artistic order. 



2 " Inscriptionum Latinarum Selectarum Collectio " (Zurich, 

 1828), numerous examples. 



