Studies On The Agriculture In Roman Republic

For the influence of other nations and the Italian advantaged climate and geography, the Romans always pursue the thought of physiocracy. This thought not only fosters Romans the character of diligence, adamancy and patriotism, but also promotes their bellicism for obtaining more lands to develop agriculture. Therefore, these provide favorable conditions for the development of agriculture and also impel Romans to break through the limitation of the traditional economy by many lands, capitals and laborers, and then the characteristic agriculture appears in Rome.Foreign scholars discuss more about the agriculture in Roman Republic. Among the materials available to me, there are more special topics such as slaves and the supply of grains, or it is more frequently to be found in general history. In domestic academe there are more discussions about the latifundium in late Republic. On the base of the translation of Cato's De Re Rustica and the reference of the other classical writers and research results of modern, I want to discuss the agricultural development and diversification in Republic. But I must point out that for the limitation of materials this dissertation needs further improvement.This dissertation has six chapters, and the structure is in the following:The first chapter is about the background of agriculture. This chapter analyzes the influence which nature makes to agriculture, and indicates Mediterranean climate and natural situation are favor of the growth and distribution of agriculture. And with the effect of Etruscans and the opinion of physiocracy, Romans inevitably attach importance to agriculture. During the period of the Republic, Rome expands incessantly, and it increases not only the lands but also laborers and capital, and these provide favorable conditions for the development of agriculture.The second chapter is about the situation of laborers. Labor is the important element of productivity. Therefore this chapter discusses smallholders, slaves and the transfer of other agricultural laborers in order to analyze the development of agricultural laborers in the Republic and the impetus on the production of agriculture.The third chapter is about the distribution and exploitation of lands. The exploitation of lands is the important part of the agricultural production, and it is also a criterion to judge to what degree agriculture develops. Therefore land is generally gained much attention in the historical research. This chapter discusses the distribution of abundant public lands which Rome obtained in wars, and pays much attention to the exploitation of lands.The fourth chapter is about the development of traditional agriculture. Grains are the traditional crops in Rome, generally including barley and wheat. With the division of the second Punic War, this chapter discusses the cultivation of grains before the war and the decline of grains after the war, as well as the importation of provincial grains.The fifth chapter is about the development of characteristic Roman agriculture. After foreign wars Rome acquires abundant lands, laborers and capitals, and then latifundia develop. It includes mixed-farm and pasturage, and its great purpose is to get profits. This agricultural mode manifests the rising of commercial idea in Roman agriculture.The sixth chapter is about the measures connected with agriculture. At the time of the Regal Period, Romans have already been recruited according with the amount of lands, and this makes the relations among war, agriculture and peasants connect closely. With the frequent wars in Rome, the number of peasants decreases and it results in the crisis of sources of soldiers. Thus some innovators bring forward the related measures. Otherwise, in the late Republic some politicians hold the camouflage of agrarian reforms to realize their political goal. This chapter analyzes the policies concerning Roman agriculture and the relations of politics, military and economy.Research shows except self-condition the external factors are important for the development of agriculture in Roman Republic. The slaves and lands and capital which come from wars create advantageous conditions for the further agricultural growth, and at the same time the foreign technology and the importation of provincial grains also make the land exploitation from the traditional grain planting to the profitable cash crop planting. This is the significant change in the process of economic development. Analyzing the agricultural development in this period, we can find the produce of agriculture is not a simple economic problem, and it has interactive influence on politics, diplomacy and military. Moreover, the commercial mind rises in agriculture gradually, but it is limited by some factors such as the change of mode of production and the prevalence of coloni, it does not develop further.