Business naming and named businesses

[Lothia]

In researching and writing my novel I have stumbled upon a problem I have not found an answer for :roll:

I have read that so-and-so owned such-and-such business, but I have (or I don’t recall) never seen a name attached with businesses other than some shops, such as an inn named the Golden Donkey.

But how about larger businesses, say a fish-sauce factory. Would it be known only as Senator Cicero’s Fish-Sauce Factory, or would (could) these businesses have creative names, such as Cicero’s finger-licking Fish-Sauce?

Where would I look for more information on this?

Thanks again. Your collective Brain-Pool is a great resource. I thank you guys for your help..

Me.

[Tarbicus]

Trademarks are an identifier for a product's origin from a single business. If a seal is a trademark:

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/engin/tradema ... index.html

[Restitvtvs]

Google searches provide a variety of Roman trademark (and brand mark, hallmark, mason's mark, etc.) websites:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=roman+stamp+bread
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=roman+stamp+brick
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=ro ... mp+pottery
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=ro ... %27s+marks
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=ro ... talworkers
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=an ... s+products

All of the marks that I have seen are basic symbols and the owner's, maker's, group's and/or location's name. E.g., "Ostia Shipping Guild". No indication of creative trademark names. However, business-related "graffiti" is another matter. It could be very creative.

[Publius Nonius Severus]

The best lead I have found is from Pompeii. I can't find any record of "Finger Licking Fish Sauce Factory" or other more descriptive names though. It seems that most businesses were named for their proprietors. The best example is probably the Fullery (Laundry) of Stephanus. This is a large laundry located in Pompeii with an associated election poster mentioning the fullery by name specifically.

Other than Asellina's Tavern, where we know she was the owner but not that it was called "Aseliina's Taven" per se, there are few other examples of names of businesses. Rather, we see more names of guilds (dyemakers, bakers, etc.) than individual businesses.

Short of any other references being found, I would recommend just going with a business named after the owner/operator (if so applicable for your novel). Good luck!

[Tertius Mummius]

The same with gladiator schools and bakeries, potters, tile- and bricklmakers. In the best case it's just a name (though roman lamps from cologne specify in two cases the location of the workshop, too, "ad gantulas novas" - at the new geese market, e. g.)

"Brand marks" are very recent evolutions, specially for not easily distinguishable goods, if you discount weaponry and expensive tableware which were stamped with the manufactury seals.

The first "low level" brand marks I know of are tea and cocoa products (van Houten) in the 18th century - so we see that's low level from our point of view, in their time these goods have been very expensive.

On the other hand, recent examinations of Mount Testaccio have shown very informative "labels", like place of origin and destination of an oil jug; another amphora in the Rheinisches Landesmuseum Bonn proves the same careful labeling in the provinces.