Publicans (publicani) in ancient Rome were entrepreneurs who administered taxes and participated in lucrative contracts to supply food and equipment to the legions and carried out large construction projects.
The Publicani came from the equites – a wealthy class of Roman entrepreneurs and merchants. Their activities were related to obtaining public contracts offered by the state. Rome did not have a tax collection system, so the publicani served as collectors, ensuring regular revenues to the state treasury.
Their main task was to “lease” taxes from Rome. Publicani submitted bids for contracts during auctions, after which they could collect taxes in the provinces for an appropriate amount. If they could collect more than they paid, they kept the excess as profit. However, this meant they were often accused of abuses and unfair practices, especially in remote provinces. Cicero mentioned their role, sometimes accusing them of greed and corruption, other times emphasizing their importance for the financial stability of the state. In Plutarch’s texts, the publicani are shown as a symbol of greed, but at the same time as an integral element of the functioning of the Roman administration.
In addition to collecting taxes, the publicani were also responsible for key supplies for the legions. They entered into agreements to provide provisions, military equipment, and build fortifications and roads necessary to maintain their vast empire.
With the empire’s introduction, the publicans’ influence and role decreased. The emperors, desiring to have greater control over finances and eliminate the influence of wealthy families, took over many of the responsibilities of the publicani for the state bureaucracy.
