The Romans loved entertainment Essay Example

of a concern and thus such awnings were necessary to keep the audience dry. The Oxford dictionary defines trade as the exchange of goods for money or other goods, and in Rome, this led to a new approach to currency. By introducing money, the Romans became even more sophisticated and transformed the nature of labor, industry, and trade.

The innovation of money was a simple one that resulted in increased purchases of food and goods. Though the idea of coined money originated in Greece, it was also adopted by the Romans. Despite numerous achievements, Ancient Rome did not have a sophisticated economy, with emphasis instead placed on feeding citizens and soldiers throughout the Mediterranean. This led to dominance by agriculture and trade, alongside minor industrial activity. Italian farmers cultivated crops like grains, olives, and grapes.

Despite being major exports, Italy's olive oil and wine industries were hamstringed by primitive and unproductive Roman farming techniques. With few crops produced and a need for a large workforce, farmers suffered heavily from taxation. Besides being heavily taxed, farmers had to give away most of their surplus grain to the government, in exchange for distribution to the poor. Though it made emperors popular among the masses, it left the farmers with minimal profits from their sales.

The absence of motivation for farmers to enhance productivity as well as the inadequate production of food due to excess taxation resulted in a shortage of food for the citizens of Rome and reduced their spending power, thereby affecting the local economy. Apart from the introduction of coins, there were several other reasons that rendered the Roman Empire beneficial for trade as the huge Roman army

required supplies such as clothing, pottery, weapons, and food.

Soldiers and government employees earned their wages in coins and sought opportunities to spend them. The army was the primary source of trade, with Roman merchants known as Negotiatores facilitating the transportation of goods and assisting the government in procuring grain for the populace of Rome. The vast network of trade throughout the Roman Empire was essential for meeting the food needs of its citizens, and grains were the key import due to their importance in the Roman diet. The emperor viewed this challenge with utmost seriousness.

Civilians and soldiers stationed in the Empire depended on wheat, barley, and corn for sustenance. These grains were obtained from various regions around the Mediterranean such as Egypt, Sicily, and Tunisia. Shippers were strictly instructed to transport the grain directly to Ostia, which served as the official port of Rome. Any deviation from this route would result in severe consequences including deportation or execution. At Ostia, the grain underwent quality checks and weight measurement prior to transport via barges to Rome. Once in Rome, the grain was repacked for distribution across the Empire.

The trading industry of Ancient Rome included a diverse range of goods from Europe, Asia, and Africa. While food was dominant, luxury items from distant lands were also highly sought after and in demand. Among these were silks from China, cotton and spices from India, ostrich products and ivory from Africa, and blonde slaves from Germany. Trade routes were established by land and sea to facilitate the exchange of these goods. The Ancient Romans built roads that were a lasting achievement, many of which are still in use today.

Although

these ancient highways were not constructed with trading as their main purpose, they were still designed to enable the rapid transportation of soldiers during times of conflict. Additionally, they aimed to ensure that news could be efficiently transmitted across different regions of the Empire. Despite their quality, these routes were frequently affected by both inclement weather and the risks posed by bandits.

Transporting goods over land was a time-consuming and costly process. Heavy loads were pulled by oxen in wagons and carriages, while horses could only transport lighter weights or be ridden. Loaded baskets known as panniers were transported by caravans of camels or donkeys.

In ancient times, slaves were commonly used to provide inexpensive labor for the transportation of goods. Trade on land was only feasible for short distances or for smaller luxury items due to the cost involved. On the other hand, heavy and bulky commodities such as food, oil, wine, and building supplies were typically transported by water. This was a cost-effective method as waterways provided easy access to all regions of the Mediterranean. However, travel by water was speedy only when wind conditions were favorable, otherwise it posed significant risks due to its unpredictability and dangerous nature.

When the wind was calm, ship captains often lacked accurate charts and navigational equipment, leaving cargo and crew stranded. As a result, many sailors resorted to coast-hugging navigation, leading to numerous shipwrecks. Today, archaeologists have discovered many sunken vessels filled with trade goods that offer valuable insights into the daily lives of individuals living in the Roman Empire.

The prosperity of Rome's economy was largely dependent on imports, making importers some of the wealthiest individuals in

the Empire. They used various methods such as bartering and Roman silver coins that were minted during each ruler's reign. The trade network expanded so extensively that Roman silver coins were found in India. Although agriculture and trade were vital to Ancient Rome, mining also had a significant impact. The Empire obtained marble from Greece and northern Italy for monumental construction projects commissioned by its emperors.

The Roman Empire had a thriving economy, importing gold and silver from Spain and Africa for jewellery making and coin minting, while lead and tin were sourced from Britain's mines for weapon production. Italian communities produced a range of goods such as glassware, textiles, pottery, tools, and weapons. Despite this economic success, the empire experienced weaknesses including poor living conditions for the lower class who worked hard to build Rome's grandeur. Source C features an excerpt from Christopher Culpin's 'The Roman Empire' depicting a European map highlighting regions that engaged in trade with Rome.

According to Source D, in 150 Aelium Aristides wrote a letter praising the Romans' achievements in trade and transport. The letter shows that a diverse range of materials were imported from various locations around the world such as Gaul, Germany, Spain, Africa, Sicily, Egypt, Arabia, India, China, the Black Sea area and Greece; items imported included perfume and slaves.

In the text, it is noted that the Romans made international travel feasible and established Rome as a hub of commerce. The speaker additionally emphasizes that Rome is home to a vast array of skillfully crafted goods that originate from various foreign lands, constituting a steady stream of merchandise flowing into the city. The importance of trade is supported

by archaeological finds such as pottery and other items discovered in Verulamium.

The discovery of a particular type of pottery that was exclusively made in Gaul during the Roman era provides evidence of trade between Rome and other regions. Various other archaeological findings have similarly confirmed that Rome relied heavily on imports to sustain its lifestyle. These findings suggest that trade played a crucial role in the functioning of the Roman Empire and was fundamental to its infrastructure. Rome's need for imported goods was driven by certain necessities that could not be met within Rome's own borders due to factors such as climate, skilled labor shortage, and raw material availability.

Trade was a crucial aspect of Rome's uniqueness, as it led to the emergence of money and the growth of transportation. The country's sophistication was greatly enhanced by its unprecedented large-scale trade with other nations. The thriving overseas trade not only boosted the established economy of the empire but also facilitated the exchange of ideas.

The spread of science, architecture, and crafts due to the Greek civilization had a significant impact on Roman life, ultimately resulting in a disproportionate influence on the entire Roman Empire.