Agriculture in Ancient Rome

Agriculture in Ancient Rome refers to the type of agriculture that was practiced during the historical phase that gives it its name. Thus, we are talking about a phase of evolution, which made it an economic pillar of Rome. It was also the main activity for most of its citizens.

Agriculture in Ancient Rome, therefore, refers to the agricultural activity that was practiced from the birth of the Empire, until the fall of it. This type of agriculture employed the bulk of the Roman Empire population, being an activity on which its economy was based.

While it is true that previous predominant civilizations delved into agricultural knowledge, it was Roman culture that, during its geographical and political dominance for centuries, stimulated the field of agricultural exploitation to the greatest extent.

In this sense, the transition from collecting and hunting society to agricultural lived its settlement during this historical stage.

Later dominant cultures, such as the Muslim, took advantage of their advances and expanded them into more territories in Europe, Asia or North Africa.

The quantity and diversity of territories covered by the Empire allowed, in turn, the possibility of exploiting a great variety of crops and a significant amount of cultivated land.

Agriculture in Ancient Rome as a social model

In most cases, the farmer performed such work for life.

It was only exonerated from said occupation when men required military service and action in military campaigns.

In this sense, Roman culture was understood in such a way that a new territory was conquered with the sword and dominated by cultivation.

Main features of Ancient Rome in the agrarian field

In the several centuries of political and social predominance of Rome in the territories it covered, agriculture was a basic pillar of its economy. It also became a cornerstone of the way of life of its inhabitants.

In this way, it is possible to explain classical Roman agriculture from the following features:

• Main economic activity: Agriculture was practiced by the vast majority of people in Ancient Rome, mostly of humble origin and with this source as the only source of income.
• Majority technological precariousness: In smaller population centers, the work of the field was laborious and sacrificed. All this due to the shortage of technological tools.
• Advances in irrigation systems: Over the years, the great Roman settlements were made with technological and infrastructure innovations. Thus, new constructions such as mills, canals and livestock routes or aqueducts facilitated agricultural activity.
• Appearance and use of fertilizers: The cultivation with the use of organic fertilizers, such as manure, was extended in Roman agriculture. In this way, causing significant improvements in the quantity and quality of its products.
• Diversity and massive farms: Rome had a large number of cultivated hectares due to its many occupied territories. At the same time, the variety of areas and climates it covered facilitated the cultivation of different types of cereal, fruit or vegetables.
• Workforce: Throughout time, the social position occupied by the agricultural worker varied. In this sense, from the slave model in certain Roman areas, to the humble peasant dependent on a feudal lord, with the emergence of feudalism.

Evolution of agriculture in Ancient Rome

Due to agricultural and technological innovations, the population belonging to the Empire experienced some substantial changes in their quality of life, their well-being and their productive processes.

These developments can be summarized as follows:

• Increase in production, both agricultural and livestock: This change resulted in exponential increases in food for Roman society and useful seeds for further exploitation of crops.
• Settlement in cities: The commitment to agriculture led to greater geographic settlements. Thus, Roman society acquired a greater sedentary character with large population centers.
• New cultivation techniques: With the appearance of the animal traction plow or the application of fallow calendars, agricultural farms experienced higher levels of productivity.
• Protagonism of the vine and the olive treeAlthough originally cereals such as wheat were the most widespread product, vine and olive cultivation in Mediterranean territories became predominant.