fiscus

Treasury of the Roman emperor, so-called because the money was stored in baskets. Funds were also stored in the public treasury, the . The fiscus took in taxes from imperial provinces, forfeited property, and unclaimed lands. After Vespasian, it became independent of the aerarium and controlled most of the empire's income, supplying funds for the army and fleet, official salaries, and postal subsidies.

Find more information on fiscus. Upgrade to Britannica Online for more on fiscus.