1. Effects of Conquest “Hard Times in Rome”
Chapter 14 section 4

2. Changes in Agriculture
Small farms were replaced by large estates called latifundias.
Latifundias produced crops, sheep, and cattle for sale at market.
Rome imported wheat from Sicily and Northern Africa since they no longer grew it on their own

3. Hannibal’s invasion changed Roman agriculture- Roman farmers burned their fields and much of the land was ruined.
Farmers didn’t have money to fix up farms or restore the land
Patricians began to buy up small farms and combine them into latifundias
Romans began to enslave their captives to work the land

4. Farm to city
Farmers sold their land could either work the land for new owners or move to Rome
Most moved into Rome
Living conditions were terrible- very crowded, not enough fresh water, waste unable to be removed, dangers of fires or buildings collapsing, and disease (typhus)
No industry except construction

5. Decline of the Republic
Rome expands borders- demand taxes and enslave those who were conquered.
Tax collectors were called publicans- they paid ahead of time for contracts but would collect extra money from the conquered people.
Roman farmers lost their land as well as their political and economic independence

6. Roman luxuries could be imported from elsewhere- leaving the Roman merchants poor.
Artisans lost business because rich Romans wanted items from Syria and Greece
Government officials were getting rich, but not fixing problems
The gap between rich and poor was getting larger
This leads to political instability