donativum
Sign in to saveThe donativum (plural donativa) was a gift of money by the Roman emperors to the soldiers of the Roman legions or to the Praetorian Guard. The English translation is donative.
~3 min read
Encyclopedic overview
3 sectionsContents
- Imperial Donativa to the Praetorian Guard 14–193
- See also
- References
The donativum (plural donativa) was a gift of money by the Roman emperors to the soldiers of the Roman legions or to the Praetorian Guard. The English translation is donative.
The purpose of the donativa varied. Some were expressions of gratitude for favors received, and others outright bribery for favours expected in return. Donativa were normally rendered at the beginning of each new emperor's reign. During the 2nd and 3rd centuries, that form of bribery became a crucial part of any successful ruler in Rome. Such was the case with many of the soldier-emperors from 235 to 248.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “donativum” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.