How did rome develop as a trading center?

Answer 1

Both the growth of the city of Rome and of the Roman Empire affected trade. The conquered peoples were integrated into the economic system of the empire and became part of the thriving and vast trading network of the empire. Goods for trade were produced all over the empire and transported and sold around the four corners of the empire.

As Rome grew into the largest city antiquity ever saw, it became the centrepiece of trade in the Roman Empire because it became a massive importer of goods. It imported consumption goods, luxury goods, textiles, glass, marble and granite, animals, agricultural goods, wine, and especially, olive oil. There is an artificial hill in Rome which was the result of storing carefully plied up disused olive oil amphorae. Supplying massive quantities of grain to the large population of Rome was an important part of the economies of Egypt, Tunisia, Sicily and Sardinia.

Roman trade extended beyond the empire. It reached Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia, India and China.

Answer 2

Rome's territorial expansion opened trading opportunities for the Romans and their Italian allies. Roman and Italian traders travelled to the territories which came under Roman domination or Roman influence from the very early days of expansion beyond Italy. They established trading links with the peoples around the Mediterranean.

The fully developed Roman Empire became a single trading area, with thriving trading networks throughout the empire. The Romans promoted production for trade around the empire and built infrastructure which facilitated trade throughout the empire (roads, bridges, dams for irrigation or flood protection, aqueducts and the like). In the 1st and 2nd century AD there was a taxation regime which did not hamper private enterprise. The Roman coins also acted as a common currency which made trade exchanges easier. The trading networks extended beyond the Empire (Arabia, Persia, India, China, the Spice Islands in Indonesia, Ethiopia, Germany and Poland).

Rome was the hub of imperial trade. Being the capital of the empire, its population increased to vast proportions. She needed to import large quantities of grain to feed this population. Half of it came from Egypt. The other major suppliers were Tunisia, Sicily and Sardinia. Rome also imported large amounts of olive oil, most of which came from Spain. She also imported wool, wine, horses, pottery, glass, stones for construction (marble, porphyry and alabaster) and other goods from around the Empire. She imported exotic animals from Egypt and Ethiopia, cotton, linen and papyrus from Egypt. Silk was imported from China, gems and other exotic animals from India and spices from India and the Spice Islands. Amber was imported from Poland.

Answer 3

Rome was the center of the empire so naturally it would become a center for trade. The Romans were the ones who bought merchandise and needed to be supplied with goods and services and food, as the city is said to have had a population of a million. Buy its size, and diverse citizenry, Rome grew into a major trade center.

Answer 4

In the very early days of Rome it was the river Tiber. Rome was by the only Ford on the River Tiber which flows form the mountains east of Rome to the sea. This made Rome the main north-south communication point in the region, which helped trade.

Later, gaining control of the Mediterranean gave Rome control of the maritime trade in this sea. Rome became the trading hub of the Roman Empire and the more the empire expanded, the more extensive this network became.

Answer 5

The Tiber River was used to boat up and down stream to trade with different countries, for eample they got some cheeses and grapes.