The Collegium Pistorum was the officially recognized collegium (guild) of bakers in ancient Rome, playing a central role in the production and distribution of bread and the regulation of the Roman grain supply.

In the late Roman Republic, bread shifted from a luxury good to an everyday staple. There is disagreement about its foundation,^[1] with some historians arguing that it was founded by the Emperor Trajan^[2] while others arguing that it was established in 168 BC^[3] to regulate and control the market. Trajan did put the collegium under the Praefectus annonae.^[4] The Collegium became critical to the ancient Roman grain supply.^[5] As a consequence, the Collegium was granted its own seat in the Senate.^[5]

Unlike many Roman collegia its notability and prestige meant that it attracted historical attention.^[6]

References

Sources

• Bakker, Jan Theo, ed. (2006). "9. Liber de Caesaribus" (PDF). Living and Working with the Gods: Studies in the Private Religion of Imperial Rome. Ostia Antica. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
• Bond, Sarah (2016). Trade and Taboo: Disreputable Professions in the Roman Mediterranean. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 978-0-472-12225-7.
• Harlan, J.R. (1981). Evans, L.T.; Peacock, W.J. (eds.). Wheat Science - Today and Tomorrow. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 1–14. ISBN 9780521237932.
• Morgan, James (2012). Culinary Creation. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-41270-7.
• Reden, Sitta von (2021-12-20). Handbook of Ancient Afro-Eurasian Economies: Volume 2: Local, Regional, and Imperial Economies. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. ISBN 978-3-11-060493-1.
• Rosell, Cristina M.; Bajerska, Joanna; El Sheikha, Aly F., eds. (2015). Bread and Its Fortification: Nutrition and Health Benefits. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. ISBN 9781498701563.

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