The guilds were a central institution in ancient Rome, serving as both professional associations and social welfare organizations. This book provides a detailed analysis of the history and workings of the Roman guild system, with a particular focus on the role of charity and mutual aid within these organizations. The author offers a nuanced and compelling portrait of the social and economic fabric of ancient Rome. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.