Commerce

On the Square of the Corporations, the commercial hub of Ostia to the north of the theatre, a whole series of inscribed statue bases was found, dated to the second and third century. The last dated inscription is from 249 AD. It was set up for Publius Flavius Priscus, patron of the guilds of the bakers and grain measurers. Priscus is documented in a few other inscriptions: two more dedications by the guild of the grain measurers (EDR074046 and EDR074046), and a dedication set up by Priscus himself for Salonina, wife of Gallienus (EDR110132). In yet another inscription he is mentioned as father-in-law of another eminent Ostian, Marcus Aurelius Hermogenes (EDR110158).

P(ublio) FLAVIO P(ubli) FIL(io) PAL(atina) PRISCO E(gregio) V(iro) EQVESTRIS ORDINIS RELIGIOSA DISCIPLINA AD CENTENA PROVECTO PONTIFICI ET DICTATORI ALBANO PRIMO ANNOS VIGINTI OCTO AGENTI Q(uin)Q(uennali) C(ensoria) P(otestate) PATR(ono) COLON(iae) OST(iensis) SACERD(oti) GENI COLON(iae) PATR(ono) CORP(oris) PISTORVM CORP(us) MESORVM FRVM(entariorum) OST(iensium) PATRON(o) [on the right side] DEDICATA KALE NDIS MARTIS AEMILIANO ITE RUM ET AQUILIN O CO(n)S(ulibus)	To Publius Flavius, son of Publius, of the Palatina tribe, Priscus, eminent man of the equestrian order, because of his religious dedication promoted to the rank of centenarius, pontiff and first Alban dictator at the age of 28, acting quinquennalis with the powers of censor, patron of the colony of Ostia, priest of the Genius of the colony, patron of the guild of the bakers. The guild of the grain measurers of Ostia to its patron. [on the right side] Dedicated on the kalends of March, Aemilianus for the second time and Aquilinus being consuls.
Dedication to Publius Flavius Pricus by the guild of the grain measurers on the Square of the Corporations. Marble statue base. March 1, 249 AD. EDR072618. Photo: Daniel González Acuña.

As in the case of the Barracks of the Fire Brigade, we might be inclined to think again of a sudden crisis, an end to the commercial activity on the square. However, masonry on the square indicates that activity continued in the second half of the third century. The back rooms of many of the offices on the square were separated from each other through walls of brick and tufa (opus vittatum), much of which is not earlier than c. 250 AD. Such an intervention suggests planned further use.

The back room of an office on the Square of the Corporations, flanked by the remains of walls of opus vittatum.
Photo: Gerard Huissen.

The epigraphic documentation is again meagre. We have already seen that the rope makers and caulkers created a unique guild seat. There are a few dedications by ferry services on the Tiber, and by skippers on tow boats and harbour boats. In the so-called Basilica, a small building on the eastern Decumanus, an apse was added in the second half of the third century. Here a dedication was found to Gordianus III by the corpus traiectus Luculli, "the guild at Lucullus' Crossing", a ferry service taking people across the Tiber or to Portus. It has been suggested that this was the seat of the guild, but the plan of the building is atypical, so that the matter remains undecided.

The apse that was built in the so-called Basilica in the second half of the third century.
Photo: Daniel González Acuña.

The fabri tignuarii, the builders, feature in three inscriptions, two from the years 254-257 AD, the third a dedication to Diocletian from 285 AD. The latter was set up by the ordinary members of the guild, known as the numerus militum caligatorum, the "cohort of the booted soldiers". The inscriptions remind us that, whereas few new buildings were erected and some were left as they were after collapsing, repairs and modifications to buildings will have been quite numerous. Unfortunately masonry that it is not load-bearing is almost impossible to date. The name of the ordinary members is a reminder that the builders were organized in a military way, most likely because they aided the vigiles in the fighting of fires. This role must have become more important after the eventual departure of the latter.

	IMP(eratori) CAES(ari) C(aio) VALERIO DIOCLETIANO PIO FELICI INVICTO AVG(usto) PONTIF(ici) MAX(imo) BRITTANNIC(o) MAX(imo) GERM(anico) MAX(imo) TRIB(unicia) POTEST(ate) II CO(n)S(uli) II P(atri) P(atriae) PROCO(n)S(uli) HONORATI ET DECVRION(es) ET NVMERVS MILITVM CALIGATORVM
	To Emperor Caesar Caius Valerius Diocletianus, pious, fortunate, unconquered Augustus, highest priest, greatest victor over the British and Germanic peoples, with the tribunician power and consul for the second time, father of the fatherland, proconsul. The holders of distinction and the decurions, and the cohort of the booted soldiers.
	Dedication to Diocletian by the fabri tignuari. Marble statue base. 285 AD. EDR115717. Photo: EDCS.