Liu (classical studies, DePauw University) takes a new look at the collegia centonariorum of the Roman Empire in the west. Long assumed to be some sort of fire-fighting organizations, she argues that they were instead trade guilds made up predominantly of textile workers. Using epigraphic and literary sources, Liu uncovers a great deal of prosopographical information on specific guilds and their members. Noting the variations among the groups, she also puts together a solid base of commonalities to suggest that the guilds were for business, social and religious activities and that they were regulated by the state. Oddly, she found no direct evidence that they had a role in fighting fires. Her work is an important addition to the study of working men's associations and the nature of the guild in both Roman and later medieval urban society. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)