I've been reading about the Aurelian Wall and it's very fascinating, though I wonder how much, in denarii, sestercii, or other, it would have cost the Romans. Is there any way we could possibly estimate the cost? I know the economy was in a bad state at this time, but I also know that it wasn't built by slaves. Also, would the cost have come from the imperial fiscus or the state treasury?
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1There's a book focusing heavily on the Aurelian Wall but no indication as to cost. It just mentions how money was saved by, for example, incorporating existing structures into parts of the wall. Also, it's not just construction cost you have to consider but also the cost of purchasing some of the land.– Lars BosteenCommented Mar 8, 2021 at 6:57
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1A (204pp. Pdf) Thesis paper discusses The Roman Construction Process, mainly concerning the construction of the Basilica of Maxentius. In passing it does mention an estimate concerning the number of bricks required for the Aurelian walls: a range of 21,280,000-24,320,000 bricks just for the surface. The vast number of sources cited by this paper may help you in aspects of your query, and in understanding the complexity of such an undertaking.– justCalCommented Mar 8, 2021 at 13:14
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