Ancient Roman Crops: During the ancient Roman period most of the population of the Roman Empire was engaged in agricultural activities. Agriculture was the primary source of income for the Romans. Moreover, it controlled and ensured the economic stability of the vast Empire. Farming was considered to be a part of life by many Romans.

Ancient Roman Crops

Wheat was the staple crop grown in ancient Rome. Other crops grown were mustard, coriander, artichoke, rocket, leeks, mint, celery, capers, basil, rue, thyme, chives, parsnip, radish, barley, and apples. Crops like onions, cucumber, parsley, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, dates, pears, cherries, garlic, asparagus, saffron, cumin, figs, apricots, plums, oats, etc were commonly grown during the ancient Roman period.

The Romans used the geometric system to accurately identify the areas or lands that are suitable for growing crops. The types of crops grown in a region or land primarily depended on the kind of soil available for growing the crops. Crops were grown only in those regions or lands which guaranteed increased yield.

However, the extensive use of selected lands caused the lands to lose their fertility over the period of time. Agriculture also led to problems like soil erosion which rendered these regions useless after a point of time. The problem of soil becoming unsuitable for use was solved by using animal waste as manure for the soil.

Roman Crops Commonly Grown

Crops were grown by using the aqueducts. The aqueduct was a watering instrument and it could supply water to distant areas. The Romans also had the knowledge and understanding of the vertical water wheels. However, during the ancient Roman period, the practice of crop rotation was followed by the farmers. Only two tiers crops were used for the purposes of crop rotation. Also, mixed crops were grown on the same land. Most of the crops were grown on vast estates known as Latifundia.

The staple crops of the ancient Romans were wheat, olives, and grapes. The olives were grown to extract olive oil from them. The Romans used special mechanisms to remove the oil. The olive oil was used not only for cooking purposes but also as fuel to lamps. Grapes were also grown by the ancient Roman Empire to make wine.

The wine industry was flourishing during that time. The Romans were influenced by the Etruscans and the Greek who had been growing grapes even prior to the establishment of the Roman Empire. Along with the staple crops, bread was commonly consumed by the Romans.

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