Life and death: Material civilisation and mental attitudes
Life and death: Material civilisation and mental attitudes
Chapter:
(p.115)
Chapter 9 Life and death: Material civilisation and mental attitudes
Source:
Rome in Late Antiquity
Author(s):
Jo Barnes
Publisher:
Edinburgh University Press
DOI:10.3366/edinburgh/9780748612390.003.0010
As early as the second century bc, keeping Rome supplied with food had been a thorny problem. Its population was large, and neither Latium nor the neighbouring regions of Italy could by themselves provide for its enormous daily needs. The chief food consumer in the Roman world, the city thus received, during the ‘open sea’ months between April and October, supply convoys organised by the state to offset the inadequacy of private commerce in satisfying the city's requirements. The goods were stored in the horrea situated by the Tiber. The founding of Constantinople gradually deprived Rome of one of its most important sources of supply. The city became increasingly reliant on grain from Africa. Its transport was still the responsibility of the public service of the annona, which supervised its route from source to distribution point. This chapter further explores Rome's attitudes to death, inhumation and catacombs.
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