LAND TRANSPORT IN ROMAN EGYPT: A STUDY OF ECONOMICS AND ADMINISTRATION IN A ROMAN PROVINCE

the long version

"The papyri of Egypt provide an insight into how this important Roman province actually worked. They also afford a window into ancient economic behaviour and everyday life. This is the first systematic treatment of the role of land transport within the economic life of Roman Egypt, an everyday economic activity at the centre of the economy not only of Egypt but of the Roman world. Colin Adams studies the economics of animal ownership, the role of transport in the commercial and agricultural economies of Egypt, and how the Roman state used provincial resources to meet its own transport demands. He reveals a complex relationship between private individuals and the state in their use of transport resources; a dynamic and rational economy; and the economic and administrative behaviour that was imposed when an imperial power made demands upon a province. His study makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the ancient economy and of the workings of Roman provincial government in general."--BOOK JACKET.