I recently found an interesting passage in Will Durant’s classic Caesar and Christ: A History of Roman Civilization and Christianity from the beginnings to A.D. 325, which is Part III of his and Ariel Durant’s The Story of Civilization.
The famous “panic” of A.D. 33 illustrates the development and complex interdependence of banks and commerce in the Empire. Augustus had coined and spent money lavishly, on the theory that its increased circulation, low interest rates, and rising prices would stimulate business. They did; but as the process could not go on forever, a reaction set in as early as 10 B.C., when this flush minting ceased. Tiberius rebounded to the opposite theory that the most economical economy is the best. He severely limited the governmental expenditures, sharply restricted new issues of currency, and hoarded 2,700,000,000 sesterces in the Treasury.
The resulting dearth of circulating medium was made worse by the drain of money eastward in exchange for luxuries. Prices fell, interest rates rose, creditors foreclosed on debtors, debtors sued usurers, and money-lending almost ceased. The Senate tried to check the export of capital by requiring a high percentage of every senator’s fortune to be invested in Italian land; senators thereupon called in loans and foreclosed mortgages to raise cash, and the crisis rose. When the senator Publius Spinther notified the bank of Balbus and Ollius that he must withdraw 30,000,000 sesterces to comply with the new law, the firm announced its bankruptcy.
At the same time the failure of an Alexandrian firm, Seuthes and Son due to their loss of three ships laden with costly spices and the collapse of the great dyeing concern of Malchus at Tyre, led to rumors that the Roman banking house of Maximus and Vibo would be broken by their extensive loans to these firms. When its depositors began a “run” on this bank it shut its doors, and later on that day a larger bank, of the Brothers Pettius, also suspended payment. Almost simultaneously came news that great banking establishments had failed in Lyons, Carthage, Corinth, and Byzantium. One after another the banks of Rome closed. Money could be borrowed only at rates far above the legal limit. Tiberius finally met the crisis by suspending the land-investment act and distributing 100,000,000 sesterces to the banks, to be lent without interest for three years on the security of realty. Private lenders were thereby constrained to lower their interest rates, money came out of hiding, and confidence slowly re-turned.
This wonderful piece arrived in my Inbox without credit to its original creator — thank you, anonymous writer. It is humbling to realize how long our financial errors have been repeated without our learning our lessons, from history or from our own pain. ~joey
May I say, “way to go Tiberius”! let us learn our lessons from history. Force lenders to reduce their interest rates (see how to do this in Joey’s narrative ). This is a major league lesson on how to get capital to come out from hiding. Today capital is hiding in the commercial/industiral markets. From the Roman Empire to the present – tell me please, what has changed…. not much. The fundamental precepts have not changed – yet politicians get in the way of historic lessons/wisdom. Please, let us learn and employ the lessons of history without the emotions or influence of political agendas.
This is a a brilliant commentary and a step by step lesson on potential solutions of the current financial dilemma. Good research Joey.
Richard Reece MSA.