Lex Claudia - Wikipedia

The law prevented senatorial families from profiting from overseas trade. In Rome, senators were legally prohibited from participating in trade. Gaining wealth through mercantile activities was considered a lower-class activity and those of higher status based their wealth on landholdings, government positions, and profits from war. Regardless of this, senators had found ways of circumventing these laws. Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lex_Claudia