70 
Urdahl—Historical Survey of Fee Systems. 
trusted to it for safe-keeping. At first it consisted in five sheep 
or five oxen according to the value of the object in dispute. These 
were commuted later on into money payments. If the sum in 
litigation was less than 1,000 drachmae, about $300, the fee was 
thirty drachmae, or I9. 1 
When the enormous revenues from conquered empires began to 
flow into Rome, pressure was at once exerted to secure free serv¬ 
ices of various kinds. As a result, we see the citizens of Rome 
furnished with almost every kind of public services at the ex¬ 
pense of the imperial treasury. Increasing density of popula¬ 
tion necessitated the employment of more public officers, some 
of whom were paid out of the public purse, while others held 
honorary offices, with public slaves to do the work. The public 
Tabularius, corresponding to our Register of Deeds, or Recorder, 
employed a whole army of clerks, excerptores , who were either 
slaves or freedmen. 2 3 Still the custom of paying sacramenta had 
become so firmly fixed that it was continued even during the 
period of Rome’s greatest prosperity. No other judicial fees 
appear to have existed for any period of time. Any citizen 
might prosecute a criminal trial at the expense of the state; 
but in case he did not succeed in getting the verdict of at least 
one-third of the judges, he was obliged to pay a fee in the na¬ 
ture of a fine. 
As soon as the streams of tribute ceased to flow into the 
imperial city, financial troubles began. Attempts were made 
to raise money in various ways. Vectigaliaf or taxes, and tolls 
of various kinds were levied. Pees were charged for the use of 
water-works, 4 when utilized for private purposes; although the 
public fountains in the streets were free. Permits to use sew¬ 
ers were paid for. Various administrative fees developed, in the 
form of charges for numerous services, real or imaginary, which 
were performed by the government. Probate fees, which at 
first were moderate, were exploited more and more, until it was 
at last declared that no will could be legal and be executed in 
1 Sevffert, Diet. Class. Ant. p. 551. 
2 Mommsen, I, 251-259. Humbert, I, 230. 
3 Humbert, Fssai, I, 407. 
4 Mommsen, I, 416-478; II, 1006. 
