Amphorae in the castle of Bodrum in Turkey.

The economy in the ancient Rome developed strongly from the ^second century BC. AD along with territorial expansion. This growth is due to several factors. On the one hand control of a number of technical and other spoils of the war revenue tax, and free labor that are the slaves. Rome controlled vast territories and large natural resources, its economic strength came mainly from trade and the agriculture. The financial meltdown is one reason the estimated decline of the Roman Empire.

Meaning of Economics

The notion of economy does not recover the current direction (free-trade liberalism, ...) because it is not a decision of state, but the economic activities within individual economic activities and the evergetism if we ignores the currency, taxation, administration consisting essentially of the army and tax officials and procurement of Rome ^History

The Latins were originally farmers, cultivating wheat in drained areas. Wealth was measured in head of cattle (pecunia). From the ^eighth century BC. AD , commerce grows, surely in the development of the salt trade and Rome is founded. Therefore the population believes it is developing a craft often Etruscan origin, mixing populations Latin , Sabine , Etruscan. A market is held every nine days (Nona), farmers went to town.

Rome continues to grow and acquire territory to the son of wars, which, like the Punic Wars the Romans ruin. At the end of these wars, he sets up large farms that are starting to replace the vine and the olive wheat while smallholders are ruined. The influx of slaves working the farms among other changes the nature of the Roman economy. The servile wars will not alter the economic nature of the empire. The conquered provinces (especially the Egyptian ), Italy to feed are tapped. The empire is nutritionally dependent. The poorest people of Rome depends largely on the state for food. Conquests are an opportunity for the state to acquire new land, new funds and new customers.

In ^the fourth century , the great metropolises of the East and the West regain their lost momentum during the crisis of ^the third century. The large trade in luxury goods is still very prosperous. Continental traffic seems to have withered somewhat . Trier on the limes, became an imperial residence is experiencing unprecedented prosperity. However we can see that it is mostly the monetary policy of Constantine , which deepens inequalities between rich and poor. It maintains the current gold coin, the solidus , that only the rich can hoard but allowed to devalue the currencies of brass necessary to daily conversation which reduces the purchasing power of the masses . The creation or third solidus can not close the gaps .

In 395, as we begin the final partition between East and West, the West's economy remains fragile. Only a few shops and some imperial centers of ceramic production still retain a real dynamism. The trade is run by Jewish settlements and Syrian merchants. Campaigns depend for survival of the institution of Germanic peoples, especially in this northern Gaul and Illyricum. The economy of the East, by cons, is thriving. It is the economic and commercial center of the Roman world. Agriculture is thriving.

Several theories are then put forward to explain the collapse of the empire, for example:

• The economy of the empire became increasingly fragile because there was a lack of new sources of wealth and the fact that Rome was in the habit of buying peace, whereas before she received tribe.

Public finances

The Roman coin

A Antoninien , Roman coin ^of the third century

The Beginnings of Rome saw the trade based on barter , and the circulation of cash money in Greece. Before the ^third century BC. BC in central Italy, were used without effigy parts by weight. The first Roman coin , the ace was in principle a value of a Roman pound of copper , sometimes less. Roman coins were worth more then their metal value. Rome has developed a monetary system stable from the second Punic war in order to easily finance military spending. The influx of precious metals after the Roman victories perpetuated this monetary system, based on silver and bronze ( denier and sestertius ). The gold coin ( aureus ) appear as Julius Caesar.

After Nero , the legal value of the denarius of silver were three times its value in metal.

The crisis of the third century was accompanied by a currency collapse, followed by Diocletian and Constantine ^I on the stabilization of a gold coin ( solidus ), the silver coins and bronze no longer supported.

Roman monetary circulation has spread beyond the borders of the empire, was found until India and parts of brass , bronze , copper or precious metal.

Incomes

Monarchy

Under the monarchy , the state collected royalties collected by the state on the ager publicus. Tariffs pastures (Scripturae), human tolls or gives citizens (or portorium Quadragesima) are removed. Some chores are likely required. The windfall such as confiscation of property (bona damnatorum) and especially the spoils of war in nature (Prada) or currencies (manubiae).

The Republic

We know that Roman citizens were paying a tax on land and property (eg tributum census) in proportion to their wealth to cover war costs only. After -167 , Italian lands were exempted from the crops of those funds, paid by the provinces. Payments in kind, the tithe (Decuma) are gradually replaced by the former census tributum stipendium or paid in cash according to the needs of the moment. In addition are added the poll , an unpopular tax on people who will become a property tax under Diocletian , a tax on the columns (columnarium). Outstanding taxes can also be claimed as the aurum coronarium paid by cities or aurum tironicum paid for the recruitment of troops, the indiction , the annona military. But also the production of mines that will become a state monopoly, the recovery of property obsolete or fines.

Under the Republic Roman, two censors organize large cash flows of the state. All recipes feed the public treasury (aerarium Saturn). Every five years the censors oversee the back taxes in granting the perceptions of corporate tax for publicans , and engaging in capital expenditure for major work. The ordinary expenses of the Republic are managed by Quaestors , under the control of the Roman senate , rather formal. The money supply ( aerarium ) is kept in the temple of Saturn.

The Principate

With the advent of the Roman Empire , a major change is taking place because the Emperor took control of finances. Augustus set up a system that leaves the senate control, but only in appearance (see The Dominate

In ^the third century , most certainly under Septimius Severus , the imperial treasury was divided into patrimonium, private property of the royal house and the fiscus. After the crisis of the third century , Diocletian makes a profound reform, the Treasury again depends directly of the emperor. Under Constantine ^I emerged the embryo of a department of finance, edible sacrarum largitionum and is the reunification of the fiscus and aerarium.

The edible sacrarum largitionum was responsible for the collection of taxes and tributes, mines, government budgets. Under the horns sacrarum in each diocese was directed by the horns largitionum summarum rationalists. These agents, decurions , members of territorial governments called curies , were the officials most visible in ^the fourth and ^fifth centuries.

Only magister Officiorum and edible rerum privatarum could counter the political or financial power of edible sacrarum largitionum. The magister Officiorum took military decisions and the most important information, managing the budget for monuments. The edible sacrarum largitionum was to have a partial authority over these decisions.

New species appear in direct taxes, such as collatio glebalis for land and senatorial chrysargyre for merchants.

Spending

Under the Republic, the judges were not paid, the colonies and municipalities were autonomous. Cons by provincial governors receive public benefits and a small wage slaves. Under the influence charges rise sharply following the formation of the body of imperial officials and constant growth. Under Vespasian , the budget for civil servants was 40 million sesterces .

Public services

The funds were used for political leaders, by the principle of patronage , to maintain power. These funds are used to run the state itself but also to build public buildings (see publicans ), and maintain existing structures (bridge, road , water ...). From the empire of Rome alone buildings are maintained. The state expenditure to maintain the military occupation after the Marianist reform , or providing services, which could be related to our public services , for example some spas , water supply, public religious worship, the medicine , entertainment subsidized ( theater , circus , games , religious festivals ) and especially free food distributions in Rome, see money annona.

Role of Economic and military officials

Many cities have their origin, their name, these Roman camps , mostly in the former frontier provinces of the Empire, where the forts were established the most important. Indeed camps provided work for many who followed the legions romanoi.

The military budget rose from 65 million in funds under Augustus, Domitian to 195 million in Caracalla, Diocletian . Balances represent the Empire about 40% to 70% of the state budget.

An economy based on slavery

The slave becomes the engine of Roman society after the Second Punic War , when wealthy Romans began to build large estates ( latifundia ) in the conquered provinces. The assessments suggest that slaves made up half or even double, the citizens. This proportion was even greater in rural areas. They occupied all types of functions, more specialized, like the Greek teachers, the most repetitive and despised as the brick manufacturers. Their living conditions and harsh treatment they were subjected improved slightly after the servile wars. This type of economy marked its limits from the ^first century and postage were then important.

Primary Sector

Agriculture

Shepherds and flocks, Georgics. First half of ^fifth century.

In the ^first century , the importance of slavery to create vast areas farming of vines or olive which facilitates the practice of free trade. Gradually small farmers disappear, unable to compete with the prices of large estates. The annexation of Sicily , of Tunisia , and Egypt makes a regular delivery of wheat in return for giving Italy the olive oil and wine. If the crop rotation was practiced, productivity remained low, about one tonne per hectare.

The land question is a fundamental problem that disrupted the Roman Republic during its duration. It is an essential trait that must be understood because it is one of the causes of the decline of the Republic. This poses many problems. For example, one hand on the social level, it increased dispossessed and impoverished citizens, the proltarii that Rome can not assimilate and the image they convey in Rome, where so much wealth passes and rely on aid from the state, partly on the economic front, one side of the landless and other peasants without land. In 136 , the census shows a loss of 10 000 citizens compared to that of 141. This shows that the problem is real, but anyone who tried to overcome this problem there are broken teeth .

see also: Food preservation techniques

Mining and saline

The most important activity after agriculture was the mining and extraction of stone for building monuments. First private mines (metallae) become the property under the sway of the state. The Landlord (conductor) receives rent mine and operates the mine on behalf of the state. On the occasion of the luster the censors conduct the auctions. Under the empire, mining became a state monopoly or the emperor. They are managed by a procurator.

The work will be particularly painful, it is performed by slaves or convicts. They are then monitored by procurators. The principal places of business are the Balkans, Asia Minor, Gaul and Spain. The ore is not processed locally, but in certain specialized areas.

The salt , very important for preserving food since prehistoric times and the men in the area of Ostia have extracted. Salt was also very important for pastors and animals was one of the first goods traded by volume at the time of the founding of Rome. The trade was by boat. A Roman road is called Via Salaria , route of primary importance because it also allowed trade with the countries of the Sabine. This trade, using Rome as a market, 30 km of salt, is probably causing the development of Rome.

The Industry

Other activities (wood, wool, leather ...) are performed at the level craftsmanship. Each region of Italy is specialized in manufacturing. Artisans congregate into guilds of freemen. Slavery is also widely used.

You can not really speak of industry, but rather to craft. Most shops did not have more than a dozen workers. Mill bricks could they, after a hundred workers, most likely all the slaves. All craftsmen did not give their secrets to their apprentices so as to avoid competition from other artisans and ensuring their reputation as a master, recruiting the best apprentices. The most impressive architectural achievements were the work of scholars architects, also trained by a learning system that will crown the Companionship of the Middle Ages.

Most were highly specialized professions, and about 500 inscriptions are known Latin expressions to define occupations and define over 200 different trades. There is however confusion between occupation and activity.

The catabolenses form the corporation in charge of the workers to run the mills. But, as revealed by the excavations of Pompeii , the guild of fullers seems to have been the most powerful of all . It consisted of dry cleaners, launderers see weavers.

There were also carpenters, weavers, potters, metal workers but also plasterers (dealbatores) . The saponarius soaps manufactured and sold, the vascularius producing metal containers.

There were in all the empire or imperial Attelia living conditions were deemed difficult although employees were often free, at least at the Lower Empire.

Trades

The trade Roman was driving the economy of the late Roman republic and early empire. The Latin " lingua franca ", security and control of communication channels and the military conquests led to the development of trade. These are luxury goods as products of everyday life. The longevity of their empire was due to the power of their trade.

While trade was theoretically forbidden for members of the senate and their families, the Roman knights, themselves, despite their military roles, the practitioner, regardless of their class and wealth. The plebeians and freedmen also practiced the trade and crafts. The use of slavery was widespread. Slaves performed the work the hardest and toughest. On the other hand, the slave trade was itself a lucrative business.

The trade in these commodities is done in various centers appropriate, the Forum Suarium for pork, the Forum Vinarium on the Aventine for wine. These various commodities reach the people of Rome in two forms, the sale at reduced prices and free distribution. The Forum Cuppedinis was a market ( macellum ) which were sold in general goods: cattle, wine, fish, herbs and vegetables. Besides markets, as the Middle Ages , stood fairs.

Taxes were levied on the markets. Taxes were not very heavy. At Oxyrhynchus , they were 1 penny per day per stall. Taxes could, according to the regions represent 1% of sales.

Traders

There were two types of traders, and negotiatores mercatores.

• The negotiatores were moneylenders and selling commodities in bulk.
  • The argentarii were considered a subclass of negotiatores apart and filled the role of bankers in keeping the individual deposits and cashing letters of credit (prescriptio) and exchange rates.
  • The mensarii doing the same work as argentarii but were employed by the state.
• Mercatores the manufacture and transport goods.

The sale of wheat is a monopoly, by which the State did not fear competition from individuals. Merchant and manufacturer, he sells all he has food, bakers (Pistor, hereditary profession) in the case of wheat, other retailers for other products.

The Emporos , the name of Greek origin, means a man who was both merchant and sailor, he received a shipowner a ship he ran a travel business, whose profits belonged to that was employed.

Importing goods

The goods were transported most foods such as cereals, oil, wine, meat or garum to supply large cities. After a review of amphorae reached Augst under the Empire, 52% of the amphorae reached Hispania (oil, wine, garum), 38% came from Gaul (wine, olives and garum), 3% of Italy (Oil, Wine garum) and 6% of the East Mediterranean (Aegean Islands wines, dates and figs). The Gauls imported during the Empire 120 000 hl of Italian wine. The textile trade was also on a large scale. A recording of a negotiator and artistic vestiariae lintiariae (clothing merchant) was found in Augsburg. Purple was also of Asia Minor.

Little is known about these imports, we do know that point by some examples. Annually were imported to Rome by example only 150,000 tons of grain from Africa by boat. The grain was then stored in huge deposits ( horrea ).

Rome imported across many live wild animals for their games.

Infrastructure

All cited included a forum and they were interconnected by Roman roads , waterways and shipping routes after the victory over Carthage. In many cities have sprung up around the legions. After the ^first century , the volume of manufactured goods tends to rise and property to specialize like grain coming from Egypt and North Africa, wine and olives from Italy ... Rome also traded with of China by the Silk Road and 166 , a Roman embassy arrived in Luoyang, capital of the Chinese emperor Huandi.

The Marine Archaeology and manuscripts antique show the importance of marine commerce Roman. Traces the most important are the large commercial ports, warehouses and ports as flagship Ostia , Leptis Magna and Caesarea Palaestina. Monte Testaccio is a trace of this trade. Ships from Rome had no technological advantage over those maritime powers who controlled the seas before them. The transport vessel the most common Roman name was the oneraria , which measured 20 to 30 meters long and 8 to 10 meters wide on average.

The Roman navy was able to hunt by cons and allow hackers by ensuring security, the lucrative trade between distant countries.

Some goods such as grains and building materials, traveled only by sea The sea voyage was estimated in ^the second century BC. AD back sixty times cheaper than land transportation, inconvenient to transport in bulk. Transport between Ptolemaic Egypt and Rome were daily, mainly because of the importance of trade in wheat to make bread. It took a month to go from Gades to Alexandria through Ostia.

Navigation

Commercial shipping will increase throughout the history of ancient Rome. The bulk goods are transported by the commercial fleet ( naves onerariae ). The average tonnage is about 200 tons ^{Trade routes}

With the North during the imperial period, the trade is made along the Limes along the Rhine , and goods could move up to Scandinavia. It traded slaves, hides and meats, especially the amber , pottery, jewelry and amulets. The Nordic imported primarily from ceramics, bronze vessels and glass, silverware, weapons, rings and textiles.

We know that besides the grain from Africa, Rome imported thousands of African wildlife.

We also have information on trade to the east and Indian Ocean from the ^first century. Sailors used the Egyptian ports of Berenice Troglodytica , Leulos Limen and Myos Hormos on the Red Sea to reach the ports of Muziris and Nelkynda on the coast of Malabar. Trading partners were the Tamil dynasties Pandya , Cholas and Cheras. Many sites, such as site Arikamedu , near Pondicherry in Tamil Nadu , demonstrate the importance of this trade. Many descriptions of Indian ports are included in The Periplus of the sea Eritrea. The trips were made from July to August to the east and traders returned with winds carrying in February. Direct contact with China has certainly been very rare.

The goods were imported incense, spices, silk, ivory, cereals (40,000 tons), honey, fish, wax, tar, black wool, fine linen, the red dye , shoes (from Greece), marble (Africa and Asia), precious stones (India), dresses (of Babylon), Syria fabrics and textiles. Exports were paid with agricultural products such as oil, olives, wine, grain but also ceramics, metal artifacts, and glass.

Markets

Markets are often presented in the form of an enclosed space with a single entry, and included a number of locations, with stalls stone for present goods. The largest market was that of Trajan , related to the construction of the Forum of Trajan by Apollodorus of Damascus. There were grouped around one hundred and fifty shops. The construction of this monumental market had the effect of removing any special significance to traditional markets (vegetables, edible fish) from the center of the city.

Trade and Religion

Mercury at stele large caduceus, the Carnavalet Museum , Paris

Initially, in the Roman religion , Lucrii Dei was the god of health, profit, trade and exchange. It was later replaced by Mercury officially became the god of mercatores therefore the god of all commercial activities. Mercuralia during the May 14 , each merchant Roman was on a personal ritual to Mercury where he asked to be cleansed of sins against its suppliers and customers.

Services

• The priests
• The doctors
• The prostitutes
• The Education in Antiquity

The activities related to art and entertainment

The theater , the amphitheater and the circus was the site of the main event for the gaming public from the Republic. Musicians, dancers, singers, actors gladiators , charioteers, but also all the staff necessary for the proper conduct of events such as cooks, guards, water carriers, hunters of animals ... lived in this activity. To get the games were "sponsored" by a wealthy by evergetism order, for instance, that guarantee a vote in the Senate. It was common that they spend 380 thousand sesterces for Ludi Apollinaris , or 760 000 for ludi magni.

The Roman Banquet assets were dancers, singers, musicians. For funeral processions, the richest were also calling for musicians, actors and dancers.

Banking System

With the development of the banking system was felt the development of currency exchange ( tabernae argentariae ). Argentarii bankers were considered a separate subclass of negotiatores who acted as bankers keeping individual deposits and cashing letters of credit (prescriptio) and exchange rates. Small business lenders were called faneratores

These "bankers" existed at least since the ^fourth century BC. AD. The credit will be developed as a very slow from the ^second century BC. AD.

This activity was very low and considered inconsistent with the status of Senator as he practiced with the use of straw man (often freed ) or being proportionately owned the business or in which it lends money and until the borrower pays. However, most loans were consumer loans, not for business. Provided the debtor as security for the loan, his own enslavement, the Nexum.

Besides private banks, has developed state-owned banks and banks of the temple. They were on the holy places like the famous temple of Artemis at Ephesus.

Other

The insulae with no kitchen, many Romans were trying to eat in thermopolia.

Decline of the Roman economy

For some historians, the collapse of the financial system is one reason the estimated decline of the Roman Empire. The advanced technology is diffusing through Roman empire lost to the Italian peninsula 's commercial supremacy, and diplomatic and then military.

Rome, originally exporting becomes gradually and economically dependent on importing regions. The balance between the capital and provinces, and between Italy and the provinces is maintained by a strict imposition.

After the ^third century , prosperity disappears, the open-handedness of the emperors and notables give way to that of the Catholic Church.

References

See also

Related articles

• Agentes in rebus
• Imperial largesse , Congiarium and donativum
• Rationibus
• Fiscus judaicus
• Decumanus
• Roman mints
• Plebs
• Persistence of Roman economic system in Western Europe , Economics of Ancient Greece , Roman units of measurement

External Links

• Political economy of the Romans a French work of the nineteenth ^century (it no longer reflects the current state of historical knowledge on the subject)
• DICTIONARY OF GREEK AND ROMAN ANTIQUITIES Anthony Rich ^(3rd ed. 1883)
• Trade and Marine Archaeology
• Free labor and slave labor

Bibliography

• Life in ancient Rome, what do I know? No. 596 ( ISBN 2130432182 )
• Glossary of Roman history and civilization, Jean Luc Lamboley ( ISBN 2729855475 )
• Jean Andreau, The Economy of the Roman world, Ellipses, Paris, 2010, 282 p. ( ISBN 978-2-7298-5331-0 )

• Economy Portal
• Ancient Rome portal

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