The relationship between the higher strata of Roman society and the trade sector from the 2nd century BC to the beginning of the 3rd century AD 

With the debate on MI Finley's status-model presented in The Ancient Economy as point of departure the role of Roman trade within the model is reconsidered. The article argues that the involvement of the aristocracy in trade can be explained within the frame of the model. Accordingly, it is not necessary, like John d'Arms, to describe involvement in trade as a circumvention, and thereby attempt to uphold the modernistic interpretation of the ancient economy. The key to the phenomenon lies in clientela. The higher echelons of Roman society seem to be able to involve themselves in trade through clients and other dependents. The consequence is that goals other than purely economic ones acquire an important position, prominent among these is status. On the other hand the system cannot be described as an aristocracy controlling trade through intermediaries, like Harry Pleket has argued. Rather, within the clientela model the relationship between patron and intermediaries is of a quite flexible nature, the content of which seems to change between consecutive business transactions, thus fluctuating in a spectrum between dependence and independence. The article advances the view that the relationship should be understood as an economic and social penetration of the commercial sector. The main lines to emerge from the picture drawn seem to be those of a different economy, the essence of which may be summarized in the notion of status rationality.