To thrust into these places that welcome only the most aristocratic clientele is the delight of those professional shoppers, which abound in Rome as in many another city. Martial’s Mamurra will have many survivors in the next generation. This worthy fellow put in his days at the richest bazaars along the Sæpta Julia. He would force his way to inner rooms where the handsomest and most expensive slaves were on private exhibition. He made obsequious clerks uncover fine tables “square and round, and next asked to see some rich ivory ornaments displayed on the upper shelves.” He measured a tortoise-shell veneered dinner couch five times, then sighed, “It’s not long enough for my citrus table.” He smelled of rare bronzes “to see if they were real Corinthian”; criticized a statue by Polycleitus, had ten porcelain cups “set aside” to be taken by him later, examined some splendid antique goblets, made a jeweler let him inspect some emeralds in a splendid gold setting, also some valuable pearl ear pendants, and complained aloud that he was seeking “_real_ sardonyxes.” At last, just as the shops closed for the day, utterly wearied, “he bought two earthen cups for one small coin and bore them home himself.” =201. Numerous Banks and Bankers.=--All this trade implies the handling of great sums of money, and for its care banks and bankers are everywhere in evidence. The Romans naturally run to finance. It appeals to their keen sense of the practical. Even before Cæsar’s conquest it was boasted that rarely a large sum changed hands in Gaul without its being entered in an Italian account book; while in Nero’s day a serious revolt in Britain was said to have been precipitated by the act of the millionaire philosopher, Seneca, in calling in his British loans, thereby reducing certain tribes to beggary. Stocks, bonds, and long-time government securities do not indeed exist, and there is no regular stock exchange, but in many respects about all the other financial conveniences of a later age can be found by the Tiber. There are two kinds of money handlers--mere coin-changers, dealing in foreign mintages and often no doubt accepting sums merely for safe keeping in their strong boxes; and above them are the real bankers acting under a kind of state license and doing business on the largest scale. =202. A Great Banker and His Business.=--The highest classes of these _argentarii_ are men whom the Emperor will gladly consult if the Parthians break loose in an expensive war, or great public works have to be undertaken in Africa. They are strictly under government supervision, their business honor is high and bankruptcy is a great disgrace.