The Size of the Economy and the Distribution of Income in the Roman Empire*

doi:10.2139/ssrn.1299313

The Size of the Economy and the Distribution of Income in the Roman Empire*

Published Jan 22, 2009 · Steven J. Friesen, W. Scheidel

Journal of Roman Studies

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136

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4

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Semantic Scholar

Abstract

Different methods of estimating the Gross Domestic Product of the Roman Empire in the second century C.E. produce convergent results that point to total output and consumption equivalent to 50 million tons of wheat or close to 20 billion sesterces per year. It is estimated that élites (around 1.5 per cent of the imperial population) controlled approximately one-fifth of total income, while middling households (perhaps 10 per cent of the population) consumed another fifth. These findings shed new light on the scale of economic inequality and the distribution of demand in the Roman world.

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Study Snapshot

Key takeawayIn the Roman Empire, élites controlled one-fifth of total income, while middling households consumed another fifth, revealing economic inequality and demand distribution in the second century C.E.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

The Size of the Economy and the Distribution of Income in the Roman Empire*

References

Poverty in Pauline Studies: Beyond the So-called New Consensus

Most of the saints in Paul's assemblies can be described as poor, living near or below the level of subsistence, rather than wealthy.

A model of demographic and economic change in Roman Egypt after the Antonine plague

The Antonine plague in Roman Egypt led to population loss, resulting in a decrease in land returns and a rise in worker real wages during the following century.

Citations

Equality in the Periphery of Lamanai: Assessing a Maya Community in the 10th and 11th Centuries a.d.

The 10th and 11th centuries AD Lamanai settlement had relatively high economic equality compared to other Maya areas, with a small, monumental core and smaller structures in the periphery.

Roman Failure: Privilege and Precarity at Early Imperial Podere Marzuolo, Tuscany

Failure in the Roman world was linked to specific future notions, and even the privileged did not embrace it as a stepping-stone towards growth.

Regulation and state capacity

States with low capacity can still adopt regulations, such as the regulation of witchcraft in Africa, as a substitute for basic state functions like policing, potentially improving state capacity over time.

Food security in Roman Palmyra (Syria) in light of paleoclimatological evidence and its historical implications

Food security in Roman Palmyra declined with climate change, leading to rapid militarization and military expansion in the late third century CE.

Unequal housing in Pompeii: using house size to measure inequality

Using house size to measure inequality in Pompeii, this study estimates that the top economic elite in the ancient city had 50 to 100 households, with a high level of inequality evident during its final phase in 79 CE.

Roman Economic History from Coins and Papyri: Monetary Value, Trust and Crisis

Roman monetary measures fostered a crisis of confidence, potentially making it inevitable, by increasing monetary values under ever-increasing prices.

The Roman Hinterland Project: Integrating Archaeological Field Surveys around Rome and Beyond

The Roman Hinterland Project integrates archaeological field surveys into a single database, providing a comprehensive resource for studying the Roman hinterland, covering nearly 2000 years of history.