- Frumentarii is the Latin for ‘Grain Providers’. Under the Roman Republic their role was to provide Grain for Rome.
The Grain Providers for Rome
- Free grain distribution to the City of Ancient Rome was run by the Frumentarii from the Statio Annonae (Office of Public Provisions), the columns of which are preserved in the Church of Santa Maria, Cosmedin.
- They were under a Prefect, the Praefectus Annonae Urbis.
The Grain Providers for the Military
- The Frumentarii were Soldiers and Centurions officially attached to Individual Legions.
- However, they had a base in Rome, the Castra Peregrinorum on the Caelian Hill.
- And they were organised into the ‘Numerus Frumentariorum’, with its own organisation and officer hierarchy.
- Although they were in charge of the Legionary Grain Supplies and traveled extensively, they remained in uniform.
- They traveled backwards and forwards, between Rome and the Legionary Bases on the Frontiers.
‘Frumentario Canaliculario’
- Two inscriptions found at Arles and Cordoba bearing the title ‘Frumentario Canaliculario’, suggest a specific role for certain Frumentarii in inland waterway navigation.
Roman Secret Service
- Hadrian re-organised the Frumentarii into a secret service.
- This was because they already had an organisation that carried messages and reports, to and from the Provinces and Military Frontiers. Since they were already in contact with all the leading members of the Provincial Governments and Military Leaders, with whom they negotiated, they were in a prime position to act as spies for the Emperor.
- Hadrian wanted to create his own Department over which he could have more control, and separate from the Praetorian Guard.
- However, within 70 years the two departments had virtually merged: In 217 CE Macrinus (217-218 CE) promoted Marcus Oclatinus Adventus as a Senator to the Roman Senate. He had been the Head of the Frumentarii, and also Prefect of the Praetorian Guard.
- Diocletian (284-305 CE) abolished the Frumentarii, in a move that made him very popular, and Constantine I abolished the Praetorian Guard.
- However, Diocletian soon created an even more powerful organisation under a new title, the Agentes in Rebus.
Secret Codes and Ciphers
- The Frumentarii are known to have used ciphers and codes in their communications.
- The only ciphers to have survived are the Caesar Cipher, Caesar’s Box, the Polybius Square (c. 180 BCE) and the Tironian notes (an early shorthand).
Castra Peregrinorum, Caelian Hill under the Church of Santo Stefano