The Careers of Equestrian a Rationibus: The Issue of ‘Specialism’

Abstract

The article analyzes the career paths of Roman financial officials from the equestrian order who held the prestigious office of a rationibus during the 2nd and early 3rd centuries AD. The author challenges the thesis that the Roman administration was managed by unskilled amateurs, arguing instead that prior experience and specialization in financial management were of key importance for appointments to this position. Based on epigraphic sources, the researcher demonstrates that this office constituted an organized step for promotion, often opening the way for officials to the most important prefectures in the Roman Empire.