Why Did Roman Provinces Rarely (if Ever) Revolt Against the Empire?

A History of Mankind (230)

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Amid the peace and prosperity driven by Augustus’ establishment of the Roman Empire, the largest investment boom in 2,000 years made untold fortunes across the Mediterranean.

Rentiers invested in properties that they sub-let, taking advantage of several property booms and extending the old trend towards concentration of Italian land into big estates. Others invested in companies with limited liabilities, called “societates,” joint businesses enterprises pooling investors that frequently were referred to as “societas publicanorum” (“publicani” meant public contractor – that is, anyone who got a government contract to fulfill) because they made bids to implement various government projects, an occasional practice since at least the 3^rd century BC.

Sometimes, societas were set up for private businesses, including the business of lending. More often than not, they sought government contracts to provide civilian and military supplies, build or maintain infrastructure and, especially, raise taxes in provinces. This was particularly the case in wealthy Asia¹, and publicani often fought nail and tooth against any officials who would stand in the way of their profit: they triggered a famous quarrel with Asian legate Publius Rutilius Rugus, in the late 90s BC, ending in Rome’s tribunals.