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LUCAR was the money paid from the state treasury to those who presided over the ludi scenici, as the state contribution towards the expenses (τὸ τελούμενον εἰς θέας, Plut. Q. R. 88). It seems originally to have been the money derived from luci, or sacred groves (Fest. s. vv. lucar and pecunia; Plut. l.c.); but, being paid into the public treasury and devoted to the expenses of the ludi, it bears regularly this acquired meaning of money devoted to payment of actors especially and other expenses of the games. In Tac. Ann. 1.77, it is stated that decrees were made under Tiberius to remove certain abuses relating to theatrical shows, and among them to limit the payments from the treasury ( “de modo lucaris” ); with which corresponds Suet. Tib. 34, “Ludorum ac munerum impensas arripuit mercedibus scenicorum recisis.” The holder of the games (e. g. the praetor, Plut. Brut. 21; Juv. 6.379) paid the mercedes to actors and the other expenses which were incurred; but towards this he received the lucar from the state. As a mark of liberality he might forego this aid. Thus in the inscription Orell. 3882 a certain Marius Lupercianus “in ludos cum accepisset publice lucari misso de suo erogationem fecit.” According to a regulation of Servius Tullius at each death (partly with the object of securing a register of deaths), a piece of money had to be presented to the goddess Libitina (Dionys. A. R. 4.15). This money was called lucar Libitinae (Orell. 3349). Hence in Horace, Sat. 2.5, 19, autumn is called “Libitinae quaestus:” so in Suet. Nero 39, “pestilentia unius autumni quo triginta funerum millia in rationem Libitinae venerunt.” (Preller, Röm. Myth. 387; Marquardt, Staatsverw. 3.488; Mommsen, Staatsrecht, 2.61.) [LUDI p. 87.]


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