The Countryside in Southern Italy in Late Antiquity: a survey and update Starting from the mid 1970s, the amount of mostly, but not exclusively, epigraphical, archaeological and topographical research on the countryside in Southern Italy in Late Antiquity took a major step forward. This turning point was the result of two historiographical phenomena: firstly the cultural and methodological renewal in ancient historical research in the two previous decades, under the decisive influence of M.I. Finley, and, secondly, the significant growth of interest in Late Antiquity, to which the recent interest in the period in Southern Italy is something of a latecomer. Unlike previous pessimistic views of the situation, more recent research has foregrounded a successful phase of renewal of the productive system in the second half of the 3rd century, and a growth phase in the 4th and first half of the 5th centuries, continually confirmed by archaeological evidence. There are different chronological and territorial patterns (for example, Sicily was ahead of Apulia), corresponding to considerable variation in specific areas and localities, but there is no doubt about the positive turning point. Some of these results were crucial and generalised: an increase in trading with Rome, the enormous consumer centre, the resulting increase in land investment by town senators and local dignitaries, the low level of taxes, a new appearance of the countryside, characterised by a decrease of villae and increase of vici, reorganisation of land property successively reconciling substantial property concentration with an equally substantial fragmentation of rural smallholdings, as well as a reasonable standard of living of the peasant population. From the mid 5th to 7th centuries, mostly external negative factors, linked with the break up of the Western Empire, caused progressive decomposition of the appearance of the countryside in Southern Italy. Keywords: Southern Italy, Late Antiquity, Countryside.

I paesaggi rurali del Meridione tardoantico: bilancio consuntivo e preventivo / Vera, Domenico. - (2005), pp. 23-38. (Intervento presentato al convegno Paesaggi e insediamenti rurali in Italia meridionale fra tardoantico e altomedioevo. Atti del Primo Seminario sul Tardoantico e l'Altomedioevo in Italia meridionale (Foggia 12-14 febbraio 2004) tenutosi a Foggia nel 12-14 febbraio 2004).

I paesaggi rurali del Meridione tardoantico: bilancio consuntivo e preventivo

VERA, Domenico
2005-01-01

Abstract

The Countryside in Southern Italy in Late Antiquity: a survey and update Starting from the mid 1970s, the amount of mostly, but not exclusively, epigraphical, archaeological and topographical research on the countryside in Southern Italy in Late Antiquity took a major step forward. This turning point was the result of two historiographical phenomena: firstly the cultural and methodological renewal in ancient historical research in the two previous decades, under the decisive influence of M.I. Finley, and, secondly, the significant growth of interest in Late Antiquity, to which the recent interest in the period in Southern Italy is something of a latecomer. Unlike previous pessimistic views of the situation, more recent research has foregrounded a successful phase of renewal of the productive system in the second half of the 3rd century, and a growth phase in the 4th and first half of the 5th centuries, continually confirmed by archaeological evidence. There are different chronological and territorial patterns (for example, Sicily was ahead of Apulia), corresponding to considerable variation in specific areas and localities, but there is no doubt about the positive turning point. Some of these results were crucial and generalised: an increase in trading with Rome, the enormous consumer centre, the resulting increase in land investment by town senators and local dignitaries, the low level of taxes, a new appearance of the countryside, characterised by a decrease of villae and increase of vici, reorganisation of land property successively reconciling substantial property concentration with an equally substantial fragmentation of rural smallholdings, as well as a reasonable standard of living of the peasant population. From the mid 5th to 7th centuries, mostly external negative factors, linked with the break up of the Western Empire, caused progressive decomposition of the appearance of the countryside in Southern Italy. Keywords: Southern Italy, Late Antiquity, Countryside.
2005
9788872284360
I paesaggi rurali del Meridione tardoantico: bilancio consuntivo e preventivo / Vera, Domenico. - (2005), pp. 23-38. (Intervento presentato al convegno Paesaggi e insediamenti rurali in Italia meridionale fra tardoantico e altomedioevo. Atti del Primo Seminario sul Tardoantico e l'Altomedioevo in Italia meridionale (Foggia 12-14 febbraio 2004) tenutosi a Foggia nel 12-14 febbraio 2004).
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11381/1500107
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