Realistic Roman mosaic showing mullet

Realistic Roman mosaic showing mullet, a popular delicacy of the Roman aristocracy. The object dates back to the 1st century CE, which is located in the State Historical Museum in Moscow.

The price for mullet in the time of Caligula was reportedly enormous and, for example, Consul Asinius Celer paid eight thousand sesterces for it. For comparison – Diocletian’s edict from 301 CE set the maximum price for 1 sextarius (about half a litre) of good-quality mature wine for 24 denarii or 96 sesterces. Suetonius reports that Tiberius even planned to regulate the price of mullet, as there was a transaction of 30,000 sesterces for 3 of this fish.

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Mullet – delicacy of ancient Romans Tiberius Price of slaves in ancient Rome Suetonius Mark Antony’s legion emissions