Agriculture and Prosperity in Greek City-States

10 Questions

What were some of the uses of the animals reared by farmers in ancient Greece?

To fertilize crops

Which of the following was NOT a fodder provided to the animals in ancient Greece?

Meat scraps

What were some of the foodstuffs traded within Greece between citizens at markets and different cities?

Eels and honey

Which port in Athens became the most important trading centre in the Mediterranean during the 5th century BCE?

Piraeus

What was a notable exception to the state's limited involvement in trade and the sale of agricultural products in ancient Greece?

Grain importation

What was the punishment for offenders who obstructed the import of grain into Athens?

Death penalty

What role did the 'sitophylakes' have in ancient Greece?

'Sitophylakes' supervision of grain quality and quantity

'Agoranomoi' were officials responsible for what aspect of trade in ancient Greece?

'Market officials ensuring goods quality'

Which of the following cities was NOT mentioned as an important trade center throughout the Hellenistic and Roman periods?

'Sparta'

'Thasos' implemented trade incentives to encourage the export of what product?

'Wine'

Study Notes

Agriculture in Ancient Greece

The majority of Greek city-states' prosperity was based on agriculture, which allowed for a surplus of goods to be traded for necessities.
Cereals, olives, and wine were the three most produced foodstuffs, suitable for the Mediterranean climate.

Land Ownership and Farming

The state did not control farming, and crops were grown and livestock reared by private individuals on their own land.
Smallholdings were the norm, with farms ranging from 5 ha (poorer citizens) to 20 ha (aristocracy) in Athens, and 18 ha to 44 ha in Sparta.
The poorest citizens had no land and worked on others' land for pay or leased land to work it themselves.

Crops and Crop Management

Crops produced were selected for their suitability to the Mediterranean climate, including wheat, barley, millet, pulses, vines, and olives.
Wheat and barley crops were susceptible to crop failure due to insufficient water supply.
Crop rotation, fallow fields, and irrigation were used to maintain soil fertility and moisture.
Ploughing, sowing, and harvesting were done at specific times of the year, with winnowing, threshing, and storage done in June-July.

Animal Husbandry

Many private households kept a small number of animals, including sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, and cattle, for their meat, milk, eggs, wool, and leather.
Animals were reared in greater numbers where the local terrain was not suitable for agriculture.
Animals were fed fodder of chaff, straw, vegetable plants, and residues of grapes and olives.

Trade of Foodstuffs

Most farmers produced sufficient foodstuffs for their own family's needs, but bartered surplus produce for everyday necessities and foodstuffs they did not produce themselves.
Wealthier citizens with larger plots produced cash crops, which they sold in bulk at markets.
Agricultural products traded within Greece included cereals, wine, olives, figs, pulses, eels, cheese, honey, and meat.
Greek merchant ships exported goods to Egypt, Magna Graecia, and Asia Minor, including wine, olives, and olive oil.

State Intervention

The state's involvement in trade and the sale of agricultural products was relatively limited, except for grain, which was controlled to ensure populations did not starve in times of drought.
Market officials ensured the quality of goods on sale in the markets, and grain had its own supervisors who regulated prices and quantities.
City-states imposed taxes on the movement of goods and levies on imports and exports at ports, but also took measures to protect internal trade and incentivize exports.