The Roman Economy

Agriculture was the basis of the economy. There were mostly little farmers but also wealthy landowners that employed many peasants and slaves to work on their huge lands. The main crops were, logically, the Mediterranean triad of  wheat, grapes and olives.

Crafts were important as well. There were workshops in the cities, with small shops where the craftsmen sold their products.

Mining: gold, silver, iron, copper, tin, lead, and mercury were mined. There were salt mines on the Mediterranean coasts, and salt was used to season and preserve food.

Trade developed considerably thanks to a single imperial currency and a vast network of roads (viae) and ports. In Rome's Trajan Market, one could easily find oil and garum from Hispania; spices, silk and cotton from India or slaves from Africa.