In ancient societies, the economy was largely based
on the land. In Attica, too, although what is usually
emphasized is the part played by trade and workshops, it was
farming that was of primary importance. |
Athenian farming was undoubtedly in a bad way by the end of
the Peloponnesian War. There had been nine years (413-421 B.C.)
of occupation of the fortress of Dekeleia by the Lacedaemonians.
In the course of their raids they destroyed many acres of
cornfields, olive-groves and vineyards, not to mention farm
buildings, and carried off livestock, slaves, and building
materials.
It would however be excessive to maintain that the results of
these depredations were of a permanent nature. The Athenians could
sow more corn, nor can the olive-trees and the vines have been
destroyed utterly. And in any case, the Lacedaemonians preferred
to amass plunder than to systematically destroy olive-groves and
vineyards. Certainly the prevailing situation after the
Peloponnesian and the Corinthian Wars was clearly negative. A
fair number of Athenian farmers were forced to buy seed corn and
had lost animals, farm and household tools, furniture, and slaves
to boot - more than two thousand slaves having, as is well known,
gone over to the Lacedaemonians when Dekeleia was occupied.
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