TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Archaeology > Models of the Roman Economy
Finley/Jones Model
Stressed view that agriculture dominant economic activity in Roman empire.
- Most products consumed locally and not traded.
- Most urban centres, except Rome and Alexandria, consumption centres financed by taxes and rents transport poor so communications similarly poor.
- Lack of mass market meant trade limited to luxuries local tradesmen who did become wealthy bought land, landowners commerce was a side issue Land bought status and status involved displays of wealth by private consumption on public benefactions not investment.
Hopkins
Add to this by suggesting that there was a period of growth in first two centuries AD.
- Agricultural production rose, more land cultivated pollen analysis and settlement study profound.
- Population greater than 10000 years earlier and 500 years later documentary evidence and archaeological evidence of settlement and mortality important.
- Greater proportion people involved in non-agricultural production and services excavation rural and urban workshops of great importance.
- High division of labour promoted high points in production and distribution of luxuries and mundane goods archaeological details from finds from occupation sites and centres of manufacture, pottery etc important.
- Production per capita rose agriculture and other spheres. Why? Taxation, slavery, business, peace, technological development application archaeological data limited use.
- Intensity if exploitation rose because of money diverted in rent an taxes historical sources useful here.
- Core-provinces levying of money taxes spent on frontiers increased long distance trade, means of transport, production of goods for sale, use and volume of coinage and importance of towns. Archaeology can assist in results tax documents to establish level of taxation.
Transport in the Roman Economy
- Study of Roman Transport speed, cost, availability as essential to economy. Important for long-distance transport, but also for local trade and transport as well. No direct evidence use location and source of a traded good.
- Literary and Artistic Evidence inscriptions on graves, Diocletian gave prices and Roman art.
- Archaeological Evidence various kinds of artefacts discovered geographical distributions can be studied to in order tom deduce trade routes.
- Looking at wrecks not only for their distribution and thus at routes, but at the cargo what was traded? *Technology of ships of major interest amount of capital invested and very existence of great importance.
Comments
