The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Economy (Cambridge Companions to the Ancient World)

The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Economy offers readers a comprehensive and innovative introduction to the economy of the Roman Empire. Focusing on the principal determinants, features, and consequences of Roman economic development and integrating additional web-based materials, it is designed as an up-to-date survey that is accessible to all audiences. Five main sections discuss theoretical approaches drawn from Economics, labor regimes, the production of power and goods, various means of distribution from markets to predation, and the success and ultimate failure of the Roman economy. The book not only covers traditionally prominent features such as slavery, food production, and monetization but also highlights the importance of previously neglected aspects such as the role of human capital, energy generation, rent-taking, logistics, and human wellbeing, and convenes a group of five experts to debate the nature of Roman trade. The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Economy 4 Contents 6 List of Figures 8 Note on the Contributors 10 Abbreviations 12 1 Walter Scheidel: Approaching the Roman economy 16 Defining the Roman economy 16 Performance 17 Comparison 20 Causation 22 Markets and violence 22 Ecology 25 Understanding the Roman economy 27 The structure of this volume 31 Supplementary material on the web site 33 Notes 33 Part I: Theory 38 2 Gloria Vivenza: Roman economic thought 40 Notes 54 3 Peter Temin: The contribution of economics 60 Markets 60 Supply and demand 65 Comparative advantage 70 Economic growth 75 Conclusion 84 Notes 84 4 Richard Saller: Human capital and economic growth 86 Human capital in the Roman imperial economy 87 Apprenticeship 90 Formal education 92 The labor of women 94 Urbanization and human capital 95 Comparative assessment of Roman investment in human capital 97 Notes 100 Part II: Labor 102 5 Walter Scheidel: Slavery 104 Slavery in the Roman Empire 105 The economy of Roman slavery 111 The development of Roman slavery 117 Conclusion: slavery, empire, and the nature of the Roman economy 121 Notes 123 6 Dennis Kehoe: Contract labor 129 Farm tenancy 130 Wage labor 136 Construction and other industries 138 The welfare of workers 140 Notes 143 Part III: Production 146 7 Andrew Wilson: Raw materials and energy 148 Raw materials 148 Introduction 148 Metals 148 Minerals 151 Gems and precious stones 152 Clay 152 Stone and building sand 153 Timber 154 Glass (sand, natron, raw glass) 155 Discussion 156 Energy generation 157 Sources of power 157 Solar radiation 158 Human muscle power 158 Animal power 159 Water-power 160 Wind 163 Fuels 164 Conclusion 166 Notes 167 8 Geoffrey Kron: Food production 171 Techniques, agronomic expertise, and productivity 172 The influence of commercialization, urban markets, and trade 175 The state, infrastructure, and subsidiary industries: drainage, irrigation, and tools 181 Food processing 185 Notes 187 9 Cameron Hawkins: Manufacturing 190 Specialization and industrial organization 191 Disintegrated production in the Roman world 193 The structure of demand and the costs of integration 197 Transaction costs and private-order enforcement in the Roman world 201 Notes 209 Part IV: Distribution 210 10 Peter Fibiger Bang: Predation 212 Predatory imperialism and the expansionism of Rome 215 Predators, stationary bandits, and corporate enterprise 218 Natural states and rent-seeking, creative destruction and imperial hegemony 225 Notes 229 11 Colin Adams: Transport 233 Conditioning factors 233 Orthodoxies 235 Responding to orthodoxies 239 Maritime 240 Rivers 242 Roads 244 Towards an integrated transport system 246 Customs duties and transit tolls 247 Traders and transporters 248 Conclusion 252 Notes 252 12 Paul Erdkamp: Urbanism 256 Introduction 256 Size of cities and scale of urbanization 258 What does ‘urban’ mean? 260 The urban economy 262 Division of labor 268 Urban production and consumption 270 Urban prosperity and rural property 272 East and West in the later Roman empire 277 Notes 278 13 Sitta von Reden: Money and finance 281 Monetization 282 Imperial money 287 Money beyond cash 291 Conclusion 298 Notes 299 14 Andrew Wilson: A forum on trade 302 14b Morris Silver: A forum on trade 307 14c Peter Fibiger Bang: A forum on trade 311 Bazaars, empires, and Roman trade 311 Empirical objections 313 Comparative contextualization 314 Theoretical conflict 316 14d Paul Erdkamp: A forum on trade 319 The grain trade in the Roman world 319 14e Neville Morley: A forum on trade 324 The nature of activity 325 The dynamics of Roman trade 326 The significance of trade 327 ‘Roman globalization’ 328 Conclusion 328 Notes 329 Part V: Outcomes 334 15 Walter Scheidel: Physical well-being 336 Longevity and mortality 336 Nutrition and health 339 Conclusion 344 Notes 346 16 Simon T. Loseby: Post-Roman economies 349 Notes 371 Further reading 376 Bibliography 381 Index 431 This Book Offers Readers A Comprehensive And Innovative Introduction To The Economy Of The Roman Empire. Focusing On The Principal Determinants, Features And Consequences Of Roman Economic Development And Integrating Additional Web-based Materials, It Is Designed As An Up-to-date Survey That Is Accessible To All Audiences. Five Main Sections Discuss Theoretical Approaches Drawn From Economics, Labor Regimes, The Production Of Power And Goods, Various Means Of Distribution From Markets To Predation, And The Success And Ultimate Failure Of The Roman Economy. The Book Not Only Covers Traditionally Prominent Features Such As Slavery, Food Production And Monetization But Also Highlights The Importance Of Previously Neglected Aspects Such As The Role Of Human Capital, Energy Generation, Rent-taking, Logistics And Human Wellbeing, And Convenes A Group Of Five Experts To Debate The Nature Of Roman Trade-- 1. Approaching The Roman Economy / Walter Scheidel -- Part I. Theory: 2. Roman Economic Thought / Gloria Vivenza; 3. The Contribution Of Economics / Peter Temin; 4. Human Capital And Economic Growth / Richard Saller -- Part Ii. Labor: 5. Slavery / Walter Scheidel; 6. Contract Labor / Dennis Kehoe -- Part Iii. Production: 7. Raw Materials And Energy / Andrew Wilson; 8. Food Production / Geoffrey Kron; 9. Manufacturing / Cameron Hawkins -- Part Iv. Distribution: 10. Predation / Peter Fibiger Bang; 11. Transport / Colin Adams; 12. Urbanism / Paul Erdkamp; 13. Money And Finance / Sitta Von Reden; 14. A Forum On Trade / Andrew Wilson, Morris Silver, Peter Fibiger Bang, Paul Erdkamp And Neville Morley -- Part V. Outcomes: 15. Physical Well-being / Walter Scheidel; 16. Post-roman Economies / Simon Loseby. Edited By Walter Scheidel. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 366-415) And Index. Machine generated contents note: Part I. Introduction: 1. Approaching the Roman economy / Walter Scheidel; Part II. THEORY: 2. Roman economic thought / Gloria Vivenza; 3. The contribution of economics / Peter Temin; 4. Human capital and economic growth / Richard Saller; Part III. LABOR: 5. Slavery / Walter Scheidel; 6. Contract labor / Dennis Kehoe; Part IV. PRODUCTION: 7. Raw materials and energy / Andrew Wilson; 8. Food production / Geoffrey Kron; 9. Manufacturing / Cameron Hawkins; Part V. DISTRIBUTION: 10. Predation / Peter Fibiger Bang; 11. Transport / Colin Adams; 12. Urbanism / Paul Erdkamp; 13. Money and finance / Sitta von Reden; 14. A forum on trade / Andrew Wilson, Morris Silver, Peter Fibiger Bang, Paul Erdkamp and Neville Morley; Part VI. OUTCOMES: 15. Physical wellbeing / Walter Scheidel; 16. Post-imperial economies / Simon Loseby. 1. Approaching the Roman economy - Walter Scheidel Part I. Theory: 2. Roman economic thought - Gloria Vivenza 3. The contribution of economics - Peter Temin 4. Human capital and economic growth - Richard Saller Part II. Labor: 5. Slavery Walter - Scheidel 6. Contract labor - Dennis Kehoe Part III. Production: 7. Raw materials and energy - Andrew Wilson 8. Food production - Geoffrey Kron 9. Manufacturing - Cameron Hawkins Part IV. Distribution: 10. Predation - Peter Fibiger Bang 11. Transport - Colin Adams 12. Urbanism - Paul Erdkamp 13. Money and finance - Sitta von Reden 14. A forum on trade - Andrew Wilson, Morris Silver, Peter Fibiger Bang, Paul Erdkamp and Neville Morley Part V. Outcomes: 15. Physical wellbeing - Walter Scheidel 16. Post-imperial economies - Simon Loseby