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4 - The Classical Period

from Part I - Diachronic Perspectives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 July 2022

Sitta von Reden
Affiliation:
Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany
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Summary

This chapter surveys the major developments in the economic history of the Greek world in the classical period (479–323 BCE). While agricultural practices and productive capacities did not change dramatically, this was a period characterized by a massive increase in the demand for certain commodities, especially timber for the ship-building and monumental-construction efforts of the period and grain to meet the dietary needs of a growing human population. It also considers the major developments in the supply and circulation of coinage in the classical period and the emergence of private banking and the expansion of credit, all of which facilitated both local and long-distance trade. As trade intensified throughout the Aegean and poleis developed more sophisticated institutions for local governance, they developed strategies to derive revenue from trade and imposed regulations on both the production and trade of commodities in which they had a special interest.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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  • The Classical Period
  • Edited by Sitta von Reden, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany
  • Book: The Cambridge Companion to the Ancient Greek Economy
  • Online publication: 21 July 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108265249.004
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  • The Classical Period
  • Edited by Sitta von Reden, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany
  • Book: The Cambridge Companion to the Ancient Greek Economy
  • Online publication: 21 July 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108265249.004
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • The Classical Period
  • Edited by Sitta von Reden, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany
  • Book: The Cambridge Companion to the Ancient Greek Economy
  • Online publication: 21 July 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108265249.004
Available formats
×