Lesson test: What the empire cost

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What the empire cost

1.[1p]
An aureus was 25 denarii and a denarius 4 sesterces. How many sesterces to the aureus?

CorrectNot quite: 100

2.[3p]
Nero's cut took the denarius from about 3.82 grams of silver to about 3.19. A Roman pound of 327 grams used to yield 86 coins. Roughly how many does it yield now?

CorrectNot quite: 103

3.[3p]
Why would an emperor short of money debase rather than raise the rate of tax?

The cost is diffuse, delayed and invisible, and needs no census or consent

Correct

Debasement was legally easier to enact than a tax rise

The answer is: The cost is diffuse, delayed and invisible, and needs no census or consent

Taxes could not be raised without a vote of the assembly

The answer is: The cost is diffuse, delayed and invisible, and needs no census or consent

Provincials would have refused to pay a higher rate

The answer is: The cost is diffuse, delayed and invisible, and needs no census or consent

4.[3p]
Match each tax to what it fell on.

tributum soli
tributum capitis
portoria
vicesima hereditatium

land, assessed from a census of holdings
inheritances left by Roman citizens
heads, at rates that varied by province
goods crossing province boundaries and ports

Show the answer

tributum soli: land, assessed from a census of holdings tributum capitis: heads, at rates that varied by province portoria: goods crossing province boundaries and ports vicesima hereditatium: inheritances left by Roman citizens

5.[2p]
Italian land paid regular tribute like any other province.

True

The answer is: False

False

Correct

6.[2p]
Take sixty million people at a subsistence income of 250 sesterces each. What is the economy worth, in billions of sesterces?

CorrectNot quite: 15

7.[3p]
Against that economy, what percentage is a revenue of 800 million sesterces? Give it to one decimal place.

CorrectNot quite: 5.3

8.[3p]
What does a light tax of that kind explain about the empire?

Both its durability and its complete lack of margin in an emergency

Correct

That the provinces were unusually rich

The answer is: Both its durability and its complete lack of margin in an emergency

That the army was cheaper than it looks

The answer is: Both its durability and its complete lack of margin in an emergency

That the state ran a permanent surplus

The answer is: Both its durability and its complete lack of margin in an emergency

9.[3p]
Why is Suetonius's figure of 40,000 million sesterces for Vespasian's needs not credible?

Select all that apply

It is fifty years of the entire revenue of the empire

Correct

It is about a hundred times the largest recorded treasury reserve

Correct

Numerals are the part of an ancient text most often corrupted

Correct

Vespasian was known never to discuss money

The answer is: It is fifty years of the entire revenue of the empire, It is about a hundred times the largest recorded treasury reserve, Numerals are the part of an ancient text most often corrupted

1.[1p] An aureus was 25 denarii and a denarius 4 sesterces. How many sesterces to the aureus?

2.[3p] Nero's cut took the denarius from about 3.82 grams of silver to about 3.19. A Roman pound of 327 grams used to yield 86 coins. Roughly how many does it yield now?

3.[3p] Why would an emperor short of money debase rather than raise the rate of tax?

4.[3p] Match each tax to what it fell on.

5.[2p] Italian land paid regular tribute like any other province.

6.[2p] Take sixty million people at a subsistence income of 250 sesterces each. What is the economy worth, in billions of sesterces?

7.[3p] Against that economy, what percentage is a revenue of 800 million sesterces? Give it to one decimal place.

8.[3p] What does a light tax of that kind explain about the empire?

9.[3p] Why is Suetonius's figure of 40,000 million sesterces for Vespasian's needs not credible?

1.[1p]
An aureus was 25 denarii and a denarius 4 sesterces. How many sesterces to the aureus?

2.[3p]
Nero's cut took the denarius from about 3.82 grams of silver to about 3.19. A Roman pound of 327 grams used to yield 86 coins. Roughly how many does it yield now?

3.[3p]
Why would an emperor short of money debase rather than raise the rate of tax?

4.[3p]
Match each tax to what it fell on.

5.[2p]
Italian land paid regular tribute like any other province.

6.[2p]
Take sixty million people at a subsistence income of 250 sesterces each. What is the economy worth, in billions of sesterces?

7.[3p]
Against that economy, what percentage is a revenue of 800 million sesterces? Give it to one decimal place.

8.[3p]
What does a light tax of that kind explain about the empire?

9.[3p]
Why is Suetonius's figure of 40,000 million sesterces for Vespasian's needs not credible?