Innovation and Society in the Roman World

doi:10.1093/OXFORDHB/9780199935390.013.85

Innovation and Society in the Roman World

Published Oct 5, 2016 · M. Flohr

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Abstract

This article assesses the impact of innovation on Roman society. It starts from a critical engagement with past debate about technological progress, which over the past decades has been too strongly focused on economic growth, and a re-appreciation of the literary evidence for innovation, which points to a culture in which technological knowledge and invention were thought to matter. Then, it highlights two areas where the uptake of technology had a direct impact on everyday life: material culture, where the emergence of glass-blowing, a proliferation of metal-working, and innovation in pottery-production changed the nature and amount of artefacts by which people surrounded themselves, and construction, where building techniques using opus caementicium, arches and standardized building materials revolutionized urban and rural landscapes. A concluding discussion highlights the role of integration of the Mediterranean under Roman rule in making innovation possible, and the role of consumer demand in bringing it about.

Study Snapshot

Key takeawayInnovation in Roman society significantly impacted material culture and construction, revolutionizing urban and rural landscapes, with the Mediterranean integration and consumer demand playing key roles.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

Innovation and Society in the Roman World

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