| Permalink | https://gdrg.ugent.be/guilds/924 |
| Main location | Mediolanum |
| Main province | Italia: Regio 11, Transpadana |
| Main administrative district | Transpadana (Regio XI) |
| Date | 101-268 CE |
| Early post quem | 101 AD |
| Exact date | |
| Early ante quem | 171 AD |
| Late post quem | 260 AD |
| Late exact date | |
| Late ante quem | 300 AD |
| Date notes | |
| Category | fabri |
| English standard name | craftsmen |
| Sector | crafts |
| Subsector | building and construction |
| Specification | |
| Status | |
| Corporate designation | collegium |
| Internal institutions | curatores ; curatores arcae ; decuriales ; decreta ; centuriae ; pontifices ; centuriones |
| Protectors | patroni ; repunctores |
| Collective action | set up funerary monument ; give location for honorary monument ; set up honorary monuments to patrons and to emperor |
| Collective assets | money ; arca ; endowments |
| Collective entitlements | |
| Public recognition and privileges | |
| Private duties and liabilities | |
| Receive | endowments |
| Donate | dedication to emperor |
| Notes |
Boscolo 2003 ; Liu 2009: 140-146
The fabri and the centonarii of Mediolanum were united in a single collegium created between 109-137 CE (Liu 2009: 43-44), usually called the collegium fabrum et centonariorum, but twice the collegium aerarii coloniae (see notes to fabri et centonarii Mediolani CIL 05, 05892 (aerarii, fabri)). Nevertheless, the fabri and the centonarii continued have their own identity inside the new structure (CIL 11, 01230) and separate collegia of fabri and centonarii may have predated their union. One inscription refers "to their harmony" (CIL 05, 05869), which suggests possible occasional tensions.
1° Before Mediolanum was granted the status of a colonia by Commodus:
2° After Mediolanum was granted the status of colonia (probably) by Commodus (180-192 CE), before the change by Gallienus (260-268 CE):
3) After the renovation by Gallienus (260-268 CE):
Other indications appear abbreviated forms of the above:
Mommsen (ad CIL 05, p. 635, 1191) and Hirschfeld (1884: 255) believed the title collegium aerarii indicated that the collegium, or its members, was subsidized by the city treasury in recompense for the service it rendered to the city as a fire-brigade. Boscolo (2003: 412-413) and Liu (2009: 143) note that there are no parallels for municipal subsidies like this and the idea is highly unlikely. Any public services provided by the guild or its members (whether fire-fighting or other) would have been obligatory munera personalia, compensated by privileges but not paid. Obviously when guild members provided professional services (e.g. doing construction work) to the city they would receive payment, perhaps at a fixed rate that was advantageous to the city. These would not be subsidies or payment for non-professional services as fire-fighting, but might explain why it was denoted the "guild of the treasury". The centonarii might have been required to sell textiles at a fixed price.
Another possible explanation is that the arca Titiana, which apparently was the central treasury of the guild, was controlled by the city treasury. This might be inferred from the name collegium fabrum et centonariorum arcae Titianae coloniae Aureliae Augustae Mediolani (or Mediolaniensis) (AE 1997, 00534). This arca Titiana probably originated as (or with) an endowment. The dendrophori of Lavinium had received an endowment of 20,000 HS but it was managed for them by the city treasury (AE 1998, 00282). In the case of the collegium fabrum et centonariorum of Mediolanum, the arca was managed by curatores (see below) but at least occasionally there were also repunctores who belonged to the civic elite.
The collegium was organised in 12 centuriae, headed by a centurio, each in turn subdivided into at least five decuriae, headed by a decurio. In addition there were optiones (CIL 05, 05701) attached to a centuria. Centuria need not be taken literally to indicate "100 men", there could be less. However, if each of the decuriae numbered 20-25 members (as in Rome and Ostia) there would have been 1200-1500 members, a very high number, even though the curatores appear to have remained members of their centuriae (CIL 05, 05869).
We have no information on an assembly or a council (ordo) but we do hear of a plot of land donated by "decree of the guild" (l(oco) d(ato) d(ecreto) c(ollegi)), so must have been a council, or ordo, most likely of the centurones, decuriones, and former curatores (when these were not also decuriones or centuriones).
The highest office appears to have been that of curator (CIL 05, 05578 or curator arcae Titianae (05612; 05738; 05869). There were probably four (CIL 05, 5612), but at least two two curatores, who probably served only for a year (CIL 05, 05578; 05612). One we know belonged to or more likely rose to the ordo equester and was or more likely became patron of the group, together with his wife (Magius Germanius Stator Marsianus, CIL 05, 05869). His curious name, the Greek cognomen of his wife (Aphrodite) and the fact that he was never fulfilled civic offices indicates a modest background. One of the curatores was allectus collegio and so was probably adlected as an outsider.
There was also a pontifex (CIL 05, 05612; 5738), probably only one.
The function of repunctor (CIL 05, 01230; 05847) is unclear. Liu (2009: 143) suggests auditor ; Sangriso (2009: 107) similarly thinks of a 'revisore del patrimonio collegiale' ; but the highly elevated status of these men make it highly unlikely that they were members (contrary to Liu's suggestion (2009; 165)).
The guild had patroni (CIL 05, 05847; 05869; 05892); both repunctores were also patrons.
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