Omnia Romae cum pretio
“Everything in Rome comes with a price.”
Juvenal, Satires 3.183–184
What does “Omnia Romae cum pretio” mean?
Omnia Romae cum pretio translates as “Everything in Rome comes with a price.”
In a big city, or a corrupt system, nothing comes free – everything has to be paid for.
“Omnia Romae cum pretio” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Omnia | everything | neuter plural nominative (or accusative) of omnis, “all”, used as a noun: “all things”; here the subject |
| Romae | in Rome | locative case of Roma, the form used for “in” a city; looks like a genitive or dative singular but means “at Rome” |
| cum | with | preposition taking the ablative |
| pretio | price | ablative singular of pretium, “price”; cum pretio means “with a price attached” |
How to pronounce “Omnia Romae cum pretio”
The main differences are the ae in Romae (“eye” in Classical, “eh” in Church Latin) and the t in pretio (a plain t in Classical, ts in Church Latin). Stress falls on the first syllable of omnia, Romae and pretio.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “all things at Rome with a price”, in good English “everything in Rome comes with a price”. There is no verb in the Latin: the sense of “is” or “comes” is understood.
It comes from the third satire of Juvenal, a Roman poet writing around the turn of the first and second centuries AD. In that poem a man named Umbricius is leaving Rome in disgust, and the city’s corruption is one of his main complaints.
The line is quoted whenever someone wants to say that favours, access and influence are for sale. It has outlived its setting and now fits any city or system where nothing is free.
How to use “Omnia Romae cum pretio”
A good fit for a caption about city life, a wry card message, a desk motto for someone who works in politics, business or law, or an epigraph for an essay on corruption or the cost of ambition.
- Latin
- Omnia Romae cum pretio
- English
- Everything in Rome comes with a price.
- Source
- Juvenal, Satires 3.183–184
- Era
- Antiquity
- Theme
- Society
Common mistakes
- Romae means “in Rome”, not “of Rome” or “to Rome”. It is a locative, a special case used for cities, so do not swap it for Romam or Roma.
- Do not read it as praise of Rome. Juvenal is complaining about corruption, not admiring the city.
- The line is often shortened or reworded in English as “everything has its price”. That is a looser idea; the Latin says specifically that in Rome everything is for sale.
- Changing the city is not a simple swap: other towns need their own locative, such as Athenis for Athens, so check the form before adapting it.
Questions about “Omnia Romae cum pretio”
What does “Omnia Romae cum pretio” mean literally?
“All things at Rome with a price”, that is, everything in Rome comes with a price attached.
Who said “Omnia Romae cum pretio”?
It comes from Juvenal’s third satire (Satires 3.183–184), written in the early second century AD.
How do you pronounce “Omnia Romae cum pretio”?
In Classical Latin: OM-nee-ah ROH-migh koom PREH-tee-oh. In Church Latin: OM-nee-ah ROH-meh koom PRET-see-oh.
Is “Omnia Romae cum pretio” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is genuine Latin taken from a classical source. Keep the spelling exactly as given, and remember that Romae is the correct form for “in Rome”.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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