Roman economy
Topic: The Roman Empire · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 2 "An Empire Across Three Continents"
Meaning
The Roman economy was far more advanced than people often assume. It had harbours, mines, quarries, brickyards and olive-oil factories, and a huge trade in wheat, wine and olive oil. It used water power widely, had well-organised trading and banking networks, and money was in wide use. Historians argue that it should not be called "primitive".
Example
In the Spanish gold and silver mines, the Romans used hydraulic mining (breaking up ore with the force of water). Their output was not matched until the nineteenth century. Clay jars called "Dressel 20" carried Spanish olive oil, and maps of where they are found show regions competing for Mediterranean markets c. 140–160 CE.
Don't confuse with
- Primitive economy: Rome had water-powered mills, banking and inter-regional market competition. These are signs of a sophisticated economy, not a primitive one.