Letter 1034: VARIAE, BOOK 1, LETTER 34

VARIAE, BOOK 1, LETTER 34 From: King Theoderic, writing through Cassiodorus To: Faustus, Praetorian Prefect Date: ~507-511 AD Context: A short but important economic order: provincial grain must first satisfy local needs and military supply before any is allowed to be exported by sea. [1] The abundance of grain in a province should first benefit the land where it grows, since it is more just that local fertility should serve the inhabitants rather than be drained away by the greedy commerce of foreign markets. What is surplus may be sent abroad, but only after the requirements of domestic necessity have been fully met. [2] Therefore your illustrious magnitude is to warn those who oversee the coastal areas, individually and at each location, that no one is to load foreign-bound ships with grain before the public supply has reached its desired abundance.

XXXIIII. FAUSTO PPO THEODERICUS REX. [1] Copia frumentorum provinciae debet primum prodesse cui nascitur, quia iustius est, ut incolis propria fecunditas serviat quam peregrinis commerciis studiosae cupiditatis exhauriat. alienis siquidem partibus illud debet impendi quod superest et tunc de exteris cogitandum, dum se ratio propriae necessitatis expleverit. [2] Atque ideo illustris magnificentia tua per loca singula qui curam videntur habere litorum, faciat commoneri, ut non ante quispiam peregrinas naves frumentis oneret ad aliena litora transituras, quam expensae publicae ad optatam possint copiam pervenire.