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TEACHERS<br />
N OTE<br />
Trade<br />
The Romans advanced their road-building skills by improving the methods employed by the<br />
Etruscans and the Greeks. They built roads which were generally straight, with good foundations<br />
and hard-wearing surfaces. The roads had tunnels, embankments and bridges and the Romans<br />
cleared bushes and trees alongside roads in the conquered provinces to prevent surprise attacks on<br />
their soldiers.<br />
Roads which have been excavated show no standard design. The foundations were similar but surfaces varied<br />
with gravel, pebbles or cut stone slabs being used. The roads had a slight curve (camber) to assist drainage. The<br />
road widths varied from around one metre to nine metres, depending on their importance.<br />
Merchant ships had sails because oars would need too many crew members for rowing. Unlike the oared warships,<br />
merchant vessels had to be towed out of a harbour in order to catch the wind. They were navigated by the stars<br />
at night and used landmarks and the direction of the wind by day.<br />
Pirates often pillaged merchant ships but their main profits came from slave-trading. For this reason wealthy<br />
Romans may have discouraged action against pirates as they needed the slaves. Threats against the Roman<br />
trade in imported grain eventually led to Pompey’s action.<br />
The Emperor Augustus levied taxes on imports with exemptions on animals, soldiers’ equipment, property of<br />
the emperor etc. Taxes were collected at town gates, important road junctions, bridges or ports. A tax would<br />
normally be about 2.5%, but could be as high as 25%.<br />
Spices like coriander, nutmeg, ginger and pepper were important as they disguised the flavour of food that<br />
wasn’t fresh. When Alaric the Visigoth laid siege to <strong>Rome</strong> he asked for 3 000 pounds of pepper as part of his<br />
demands.<br />
Roman coins were consistent in weight and quality despite the fact they were coined under different rulers whose<br />
heads were stamped on one side. In time, the Romans did not favour the continual provision of coins to the Far<br />
East, for they recycled the gold and silver in them, so export restrictions were introduced. Eventually, Indian<br />
traders lost confidence because of the reduced supply and began to barter with quality goods like gems and linen<br />
for Roman ceramics, wine etc.<br />
Viewing Sample<br />
– 58 – <strong>Ancient</strong> <strong>Rome</strong> Prim-Ed Publishing www.prim-ed.com
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