Some notes about the Economy of Italica and its Territory during the First Century BC and the First Century AD

Abstract

According to Archaeology, the town put up on San Antonio-Los Palacios Hill, later named Italica, had a completely autochthonous nature until the late second century B. C. The settlement of Italian immigrants in this place at that time is proved by the typology of certain buildings alien to the local forms and by the start and spread of villa system. Data allow proposing that the families of the local elite of Italica got rich probably from the production and sale of olive oil, the elaboration and export of wine and the exploitation of iron mines located in Munigua’s territory. This last one was probably the most thriving business to the local elite of Italica. On the contrary, no data allow asserting that this took part in the exploitation of the quarries of Almadén de la Plata.

Keywords

• hispania
• élites locales
• villae
• aceite
• vino
• minas
• canteras