ABSTRACT
We have seen that Alberti, in his Book of the Family depicted the 64-yearold members of the family as retired from both political life and business activities,1 whether because he thought that this was how it should be, or because he knew men who retired at that age. But like the office-holders in the Italian communes, who, as we have seen, remained in office until they were very old, so too they and burghers in other countries were disinclined to abandon their economic activities as they grew old. They welcomed their exemptions (in the Italian communes and in other European cities which enjoyed varying degrees of autonomy) from certain obligations, such as military service, watch duty in the urban militia, juror duty, or a part of their taxes.2 But they did not hurry to withdraw from their occupations. It appears that those who retired did so from illness or disability. Bankers, merchants and artisans were independent, and could not be obliged to retire.3 So, too, were physicians, lawyers and notaries. They could choose to retire partially and gradually, by transferring some of their work to their sons or other younger relatives, or to their hired staff.
