fiscus

The fiscus was the imperial treasury of ancient Rome, and by extension the state treasury controlled by the emperor. The word fiscus comes from Latin and originally referred to a basket or chest used to carry money.

In the Roman Republic, revenue was primarily administered through the aerarium, the Senate’s treasury. After the rise of the imperial system, Augustus established a separate imperial treasury, the fiscus, to handle funds controlled by the emperor. This arrangement allowed the emperor to fund the army, the imperial administration, and public works independently of the Senate. The aerarium continued to exist but declined in financial importance as imperial finances grew more centralized.

The fiscus drew its income from various sources, including revenues from imperial provinces, customs duties, and other imperial domains. Special funds and fiscal arrangements, such as the Fiscus Judaicus after 70 CE, illustrate how distinct streams could be allocated to the emperor’s treasury. The administration of the fiscus was carried out by officers and agents appointed by the emperor, collectively responsible for collecting, safeguarding, and disbursing funds for military pay, salaries of civil servants, construction projects, and other state expenses.

Over time the practical distinction between the fiscus and the aerarium blurred, especially in the later empire as financial administration became more centralized under the monarchy and then the imperial bureaucracy. In modern usage, the term fiscus survives as a historical reference to the state treasury and appears in several languages to denote government finances or tax authorities.