The Roman economy was marked by two main activities: agriculture and trade. In the Roman Empire there was a certain economic stability, and therefore they managed to maintain a single currency, customs tariffs were low and roads and ports were protected. But, to achieve this economic stability, the Romans went through processes of conquest and expansion, especially during the republican period.
One of the main marks of the Roman republic was the Punic Wars, conflicts with Carthage, in North Africa, in which the two powers of the ancient world disputed the economic hegemony of the region, that is, they disputed the dominions over the Mediterranean Sea, hitherto dominated by Carthage. These were defeated by the Romans who began to explore the region's maritime trade, even managing to expand their territory. The conquest of power over the Mediterranean and the Italian Peninsula was fundamental for the development of the Roman economy from the maritime trade, through which goods circulated not only for subsistence but also for luxury items. At the time Rome imported inputs from different parts of the ancient world. They consumed cereals from Sicily and North Africa, olive oils from Egypt and the region where Spain is located today, and the marble for their buildings came from Asia and North Africa. Another important conquest of wars, like the Punic Wars, were slaves, who ended up destined to work in agriculture and clothing. Artisans did not produce on a large scale, making products directly for users.
For many centuries agriculture was the main Roman economic activity. It was during the Republic, after the victory in the Wars against Carthage, that Rome became an important commercial center in the region. This led the Romans to control the Mediterranean and, therefore, the flow of metals that passed through the sea. Thus, the commercial circulation between Rome and its provinces became intense. The provinces shipped wheat, wood, copper, tin, silver, skins, luxury goods, cheeses and spices at low cost, and even paid taxes to the Romans.
Another phenomenon evident at the time was the rise and enrichment of some commoners, who conquered lands and political powers. Thus, the size of land holdings increased, becoming large properties of enriched commoners, promoting the exit from the field of commoners who remained poor and who were unable to prosper without the land.
The departure from the countryside and the impoverishment of a significant portion of the commoners created a social crisis in Roman territory. For that, it was necessary to create a policy on the part of the state to subsidize the survival of this population. The bread and circus policy was then created, offering low-cost food and entertainment at no cost.
Roman history in antiquity is marked by different periods. In the beginning, agriculture was the main commercial activity, and after the conquest of maritime trade, Rome conquered economic hegemony in the region, stabilizing and expanding its domains. Although there was an important and significant economic development, this development did not reach all Roman citizens, who found it difficult even to survive in a society marked by profound inequality.
