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The history of the world economy - Polyak GB

8. Economics of Ancient Rome

The history of ancient Rome is divided into three major periods: the Imperial period (VIII-VI centuries BC...), The Republic period (ca. 510-31 BCE....), The period of the Empire (31 BC. e -. 476 AD)...

In the study of the history of Rome, the economy should keep in mind a number of factors.

1) Favorable climatic and geographical conditions, fertile land have contributed to the development of agriculture. Overflowing of the Tiber and the proximity of the sea coast was allowed the rapid development of navigation and trade.

2) The wealth of timber and building stone provided the conditions for the construction of housing, religious buildings, palaces of the nobility.

3) Land ownership was primarily in the hands of the state.

4) Economic power of Rome was strengthened by numerous wars, which supplied slaves to Rome, the wealth of the conquered countries.

5) The Romans gave special importance to transport communications.

6) In the heyday of Rome's economy it has acquired a geographic specialization.

Significant influence on the formation of the Roman civilization had other peoples: the Greeks colonized the coast of South and Central Italy; Carthaginians (natives of the North African colony of the Phoenicians) and the Etruscans (who inhabited the north-west of the peninsula).

8.1. The economy in the Imperial period

The basis of economic life was agriculture, keeps mostly natural character. The main crops are wheat; significant development viticulture and olivkovodstvo. Cattle, horses, pigs. Trade at that time was poorly developed.

VIII-VI centuries. BC. characterized by the expansion of the tribal community. In place of kinship comes settling territorial principle within the community is enhanced stratification. Economic-legal unit was a large patriarchal family (familia), which included the slaves.

Roman community was divided into patricians and plebeians.

Patricia in the X-VIII centuries. BC. e. Romans called all - members of the Roman clan organization (Rome the populus), which had representatives (senior in-kind) in the Senate, in the council fathers (patrez). In the process of expansion of tribal system became known as the only members of noble families, oppose themselves to the other members of the Roman people. They became patrons of impoverished relatives. Known patritsialnye birth Julian, Horace, etc. Kuriatsiev head of the family -. Patrician (pater familias) had absolute power over its members (including the right to punish or sold into slavery). Patrician family received from the community land in possession, and the infield area of ​​2 uger (0.5 hectares) in the property.

A special group of residents were plebeians, apparently, aliens from other areas - not members of the Roman community. They were considered legally free, but did not have civil rights, treated with small plots of land, engaged in trade and crafts. In their midst the processes of social stratification quickly passed, but all united by the plebeians desire for equality with the patricians, which was associated with tolerance to possession of plots on communal lands, which were considered the property of the city-state. Patricia held communal lands, making a small rental fee. It also served as a major cause of a fierce struggle of the plebeians against the patricians, which unfolded with the VI. BC. e. In the course of this struggle and perished decomposed remnants of tribal relations and formed the Roman state, which had specifically military in nature and based on the special structure - the ancient civil community.

In VIII- VI centuries. BC. e. the influence of Rome in the Apennine peninsula increased. In VI. Rome became the head of the Latin Union, which united 47 tribes. Imperial period ended in 509 BC. e., when Tarquinius Superbus was expelled from Rome.