Ancient Economies in Comparative Perspective

Frontiers in Economic History Series Editors Claude Diebolt, Faculty of Economics, BETA, CNRS, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France Michael Haupert, University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, La Crosse, WI, USA Economic historians have contributed to the development of economics in a variety of ways, combining theory with quantitative methods, constructing new databases, promoting interdisciplinary approaches to historical topics, and using history as a lens to examine the long-term development of the economy. Frontiers in Economic History publishes manuscripts that push the frontiers of research in economic history in order to better explain past economic experiences and to understand how, why and when economic change occurs. Books in this series will highlight the value of economic history in shedding light on the ways in which economic factors influence growth as well as social and political developments. This series aims to establish a new standard of quality in the field while offering a global discussion forum toward a unified approach in the social sciences. Marcella Frangipane · Monika Poettinger · Bertram Schefold Editors Ancient Economies in Comparative Perspective Material Life, Institutions and Economic Thought Editors Marcella Frangipane Department of Sciences of Antiquity Sapienza University of Rome Rome, Italy Monika Poettinger Polimoda Florence, Italy Bertram Schefold Department of Economics Goethe University Frankfurt Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany ISSN 2662-9771 ISSN 2662-978X (electronic) Frontiers in Economic History ISBN 978-3-031-08762-2 ISBN 978-3-031-08763-9 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08763-9 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marcella Frangipane, Monika Poettinger, and Bertram Schefold 1 Methodology for the Economic History and the History of Economic Thought of Antiquity Ancient Economies: The Challenge of Mapping Complexity . . . . . . . . . . . John K. Davies The Significance of Economic Knowledge for Welfare and Economic Growth in History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bertram Schefold For a Comparative History of Economic Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marco Bianchini Economics as a Comparative Science from the Historical School to Otto Neurath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monika Poettinger 11 25 55 69 Development Models Archaeological Evidence of the Political Economy in Pre-State and Early State Societies in the Near East. Mesopotamia and Anatolia, Some Remarks and Comparisons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marcella Frangipane 91 Clash of the Titans: The Economics of Early Bronze Age Mesopotamia Between Empirical Evidence and Theoretical Models . . . . 111 Giacomo Benati Modelling Modes of Production: European 3rd and 2nd Millennium BC Economies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Kristian Kristiansen and Timothy Earle v vi Contents Political/Ideological Display or Economic Need? The Problematical Picture of the Hydraulic Networks in Seventh Century BC Assyria . . . . . 165 Frederick Mario Fales The ‘Many Faces’ of the Roman Economy: Modern Preconceptions and Some Considerations on Capital, Technology, and Labour . . . . . . . . . 187 Annalisa Marzano Trade, Specialisation and Growth Weight-Based Trade and the Formation of a Global Network: Material Correlates of Market Exchange in Pre-literate Bronze Age Europe (c. 2300–800 BC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Nicola Ialongo Specialisation, Exchanges and Socio-Economic Strategies of Italian Bronze Age Elites: The Case of Aegean-Type Pottery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 Marco Bettelli The Economic and Productive Processes in the Hellenistic ‘Globalization’: From the Archaeological Documentation to the Historical Reconstruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 Enzo Lippolis New Institutional Economics and the Rhodian Economy: Some Preliminary Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267 Marco Maiuro Debts, Slaves and Finance The Edicts of Debt Remission: A Political Tool of Economic Intervention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 Cristina Simonetti Some Observations on the Development of a Sacred Economy from the Archaic Age up to Hellenism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295 Rita Sassu Debt and Usury: Economic and Financial Questions in the Roman Republic (Fifth–First Century B.C.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325 Chantal Gabrielli The Two-Way Relationship Between Freedman and Business in the Roman World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343 Egidio Incelli Slaves Sales in the Roman Empire and Perspectives of Comparison . . . . 361 Francesca Reduzzi Merola