Les acteurs romains du commerce au long cours : une élite négociante ? Quelques réflexions liminaires

Is the notion of business elite relevant, in order to understand the social standing of Roman long-distance traders, between the end of the 2nd century BC and the end of the 2nd century AD? The answer needs to be qualified. On the one hand, some professionals of sea commerce certainly belonged to the highest strata of the plebs, given their wealth and social prestige. On the other hand, these merchants shared this status with other professionals. Furthermore, the most powerful businessmen did not practice necessarily or exclusively commercial activities, strictly speaking.