Women in Roman Egypt: Economic Matters

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Women in Roman Egypt Economic Matters
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Basic Realities

• Egypts economy and prosperity relied on the
  annual flooding of the Nile.
• Only three areas in Egypt had arable land of any
  size
• 1) Nile river valley proper had arable land of
  10-
• 20 km in width
• 2) Delta
• 3) Faiyum (Coptic word for Lake) - Arsinoite
• nome (1,600 sq km, fed by network of
• irrigation canals, - 10 of the cultivable
  total)

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Delta Scene
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Middle Egypt
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Lake Moeris, Faiyum
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Karanis, Arsinoite Nome
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Timeline

• Spring snow melts in Ethiopian mountains, pours
  billions of gallons of water into the Nile at its
  sources.
• Surge washed down the great N-S rift-valley of
  the African continent, enters Egypt in early
  June.
• Reached Memphis and Arsinoite nome 2-4 weeks
  later (by early July).
• First month of flood water slowly infiltrated
  the cultivable area, filling in hollows and
  marshes.

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Nile Flood Timeline

• July 20 big change, signalled by the rising of
  Sirius, the Dog-Star.
• Water turned from greenish to reddish-brown
• Level began to rise rapidly, flooded plain
• Continued to rise for 2 more months
• The resulting lake-like look of the valley, with
  villages/towns on higher ground looking like
  islands, drew tourists to marvel at the sight
  (including Roman emperors).

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Flood of the Nile (Roman Mosaic)
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Nile Flood Timeline

• In mid-August at Elephantine, mid-September in
  Arsinoite nome, the flood began to recede, first
  slowly, then rapidly.
• By end of October the river had returned to its
  bed, leaving behind large quantities of sediment,
  a natural fertilizer rich in mineral salts and
  organic matter, equal to 20 tons of fertilizer
  per hectare. River also drowned lots of rats.

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How High?

• With a rise of 12 cubits, Egypt faces famine.
• At 13 it goes hungry still
• 14 cubits bring happiness
• 15 freedom from worry
• 16 delight. 1 cubit .525 m)
• The Nilometer measured the flood, stonelined
  wells or chambers with stairs you used to descend
  to the river. Incisions showed the height of the
  water.

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Agriculture

• Farmers plowed, hoed, cultivated regularly.
• Irrigation channels directed the floodwaters,
  initiated under Pharaohs, expanded by the
  Ptolemies, repaired and maintained by the
  populace under Roman rule.

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Irrigation Devices

• Archimedes screw used especially in the Delta,
  to get water to go uphill.
• Shaduf (called kelon, swing beam in Roman Egypt)
  a pole mounted to a fulcrum to operate like a
  seesaw, with a bucket at one end that dips into
  water, and a counterweight at other end to lift
  it when full.
• Sakkieh (mechane, or wheel) a winch installed at
  a well head, turned by draft animals.

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Slave in vineyard using Archimedes Screw
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Shaduf in Modern Egypt
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Sakkieh in Modern Egypt
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Watercolor of Sakkieh
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Agricultural Year

• June harvesting of cereal crops ends, threshing
  continues
• July Nile enters flood stage, threshing ends
• August Full flood of Nile, the vintage begins
• September Flood peaks, begins fall. Vintage
  completed, dates picked.
• October Flood over. Sowing of cereal crops
  begins, olives gathered, date harvest at peak.

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Agricultural Year

• November sowing of cereals continues,
  cultivation begins. Olives and dates gathered.
• December cultivation continues, olives gathered.
• January Olive harvest ends. New growing season
  of vines and olives begins.
• February preparations for grain harvest.
• March preparations continue.
• April grain harvest begins.
• May harvesting continues, threshing begins.

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Labor

• Slave labor played almost no part in agriculture.
• Most land in all categories (royal, public
  state-owned, private, temple) was cultivated
  under leases and subleases taken by
  tenant-farmers, either individually or in
  partnerships. Sharecropping was known but most
  leases indicate payment of fixed rents, in kind
  or money or both.
• Land leases often ran for just one year.
• Standard rates of interest 1 per month on
  money, 50 of the quantity of a loan in kind.

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Labor

• In addition to hiring additional help during
  harvesting season, farmers had to hire men to
  guard their fields to keep people from stealing
  the crops and animals from ruining/eating them.
• Lots of evidence for shepherds letting their big
  flocks into others fields accidently on
  purpose.

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Harvest

• Leases from various periods in Greco-Roman Egypt
  point to average yields in the range of 9 - 27
  times the quantity of seed planted.
• The Greeks and Romans thought of Egypt as being
  extraordinarily fertile and productive.

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Cash Crops

• Vineyards/grapes/wine
• Olives (mostly for the production of oil)
• 1) best grades were used for bathing, exercise,
  medicine
• 2) medium grades used for eating
• 3) poorest grades for lamp fuel
• Date Palms

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Other Crops

• Beans, garlic, lentils, peas, vetch.
• Fruits citron, peach, pear apples, carobs,
  nuts, pomegranates.
• Papyrus plants
• Grass for domestic animals

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Domestic Animals

• Donkey was number one for transport, camels,
  number 2.
• Horses used mostly for cavalry mounts.
• Oxen, cows, bulls for draft animals.
• Sheep
• Goats
• Pigs
• Chickens, geese (for eating), pigeons (for manure
  only)

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Trades/Professions

• Brickmakers
• Weavers/textile workers
• Potters
• Etc.

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Modern Egypt Winnowing Corn in the Faiyum
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Modern Dovecote For Manure Production
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Ptolemaic Wall-painting Woman participating in
harvest
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Other Economic Activities
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Portrait of Eirene
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Woman from Roman Egypt
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Greek Woman in Roman Egypt
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Womens Property