There was no regular direct taxation, nor was there any direct regular expenditure on the part of the state.
Taxation was not needed for defraying the burdens of the community, since the state gave no recompense for serving in the army, for task-work, or for public service generally; so far as there was any such recompense at all, it was given to the person who performed the service either by the district primarily concerned in it, or by the person who could not or would not himself serve.

The victims needed for the public service of the gods were procured by a tax on actions at law; the defeated party in an ordinary process paid down to the state a cattle-fine (-sacramentum-) proportioned to the value of the object in dispute.

There is no mention of any regular presents to the king on the part of the burgesses.

On the other hand there flowed into the royal coffers the port-duties,( 13) as well as the income from the domains--in particular, the pasture tribute (-scriptura-) from the cattle driven out upon the common pasture, and the quotas of produce (-vectigalia-) which those enjoying the use of the lands of the state had to pay instead of rent.

To this was added the produce of cattle-fines and confiscations and the gains of war.