Les frequentissimi mercatores de Pouzzoles et le blé égyptien à Rome à la fin de l’époque républicaine

• Autores: Lucia Rossi
• Localización: Mélanges de l'Ecole française de Rome. Antiquité, ISSN 0223-5102, Vol. 124, Nº. 2, 2012
• Idioma: francés
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen

  • During the years 70s-60s of Ist century B.C., several crises disrupted the corn supply of Rome. They can be explained by the increasing of grain needs of Roman urban population and by the insecurity of maritime traffics. Contemporary, Italians’ and Romans’ commercial activities in Egypt, Syria and Asia significantly increased; they ensured supply of Roman urban market with slaves, precious goods and grain. Contrary to the slaves trade, the forms and the importance of Egyptian and Syrian grain trade in Rome have to be reconstructed with more precision. The analysis of Cicero’s works, especially some passages of speech against Verres, and that of epigraphic evidence from Delos, Egypt and Campania, show that Egyptian and Syrian grain reached Rome thanks to Puteoli’ grain merchants. The study of this phenomenon in its global economic and political context will allow to measure the role played by Egyptian resources in the grain supply of Rome at the end of Republican age.