# How to Make Money: An Ancient Guide to Wealth Management - Hardcover

by **Luca Grillo** (Translator)

**An enriching collection of classical writings about how ancient Romans made--and thought about--money**

Ancient Romans liked money. But how did they make a living and sometimes even become rich? The Roman economy was dominated by agriculture, but it was surprisingly modern in many ways: the Romans had companies with CEOs, shareholders, and detailed contracts regulated by meticulous laws; systems of banking and taxation; and a wide range of occupations, from merchant and doctor to architect and teacher. The Romans also enjoyed a relatively open society, where some could start from the bottom, work, invest, and grow rich. _How to Make Money_ gathers a wide variety of ancient writings that show how Romans thought about, made, invested, spent, lost, and gave away money.

The Roman elite idealized farming and service to the state but treated many other occupations with suspicion or contempt, from money lending to wage labor. But whatever their attitudes, _pecunia_ made the Roman world go round. In the _Satyricon_, Trimalchio brags about his wealth. Seneca accumulated a fortune--but taught that money can't buy happiness. Eumachia inherited a brick factory from her father, married well, and turned to philanthropy after she was widowed. _How to Make Money_ also takes up some of the most troubling aspects of the Roman economy, slavery and prostitution, which the elite deemed unrespectable but often profited from.

Featuring lively new translations, an illuminating introduction, and the original Latin and Greek texts on facing pages, _How to Make Money_ offers a revealing look at the Roman worlds of work and money.

### Author Biography

**Luca Grillo** is the Eli J. and Helen Shaheen Collegiate Professor of Classics at the University of Notre Dame. He is the author of several books, including _The Art of Caesar's "Bellum Civile,"_ and the coeditor of _The Cambridge Companion to the Writings of Julius Caesar_.

**Number of Pages:** 248

**Dimensions:** 1.2 x 6.8 x 4.5 IN

**Publication Date:** June 04, 2024

## Details

- **Price:** 17.95 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 17.95 USD | In stock |

## Images

- How to Make Money: An Ancient Guide to Wealth Management - Hardcover

---

> Source: [Smart supply deals](https://smartsupplydeals.com/products/how-to-make-money-an-ancient-guide-to-wealth-management-hardcover)
> Updated: 2026-07-22