I often think about how Roman citizens (including retired high ranking officials and officers) were granted a single "jugerum" which is about 0.6 acres. This was enough to support a whole family supposedly, and was as much as one farmer could manage in a day's work:
"That portion of land used to be known as a "jugerum," which was capable …
I often think about how Roman citizens (including retired high ranking officials and officers) were granted a single "jugerum" which is about 0.6 acres. This was enough to support a whole family supposedly, and was as much as one farmer could manage in a day's work:
"That portion of land used to be known as a "jugerum," which was capable of being ploughed by a single "jugum," or yoke of oxen, in one day; an "actus" being as much as the oxen could plough at a single spell, fairly estimated, without stopping. This last was one hundred and twenty feet in length; and two in length made a jugerum." - Pliny the Elder
I have to imagine that many Roman homesteaders had at least a few acres (by modern measurement), aided by slaves perhaps. But maybe most citizens managed their single jugerum plot and got what they needed by and large – truly living within one's means (until the empire collapsed!)
I often think about how Roman citizens (including retired high ranking officials and officers) were granted a single "jugerum" which is about 0.6 acres. This was enough to support a whole family supposedly, and was as much as one farmer could manage in a day's work:
"That portion of land used to be known as a "jugerum," which was capable of being ploughed by a single "jugum," or yoke of oxen, in one day; an "actus" being as much as the oxen could plough at a single spell, fairly estimated, without stopping. This last was one hundred and twenty feet in length; and two in length made a jugerum." - Pliny the Elder
I have to imagine that many Roman homesteaders had at least a few acres (by modern measurement), aided by slaves perhaps. But maybe most citizens managed their single jugerum plot and got what they needed by and large – truly living within one's means (until the empire collapsed!)
Interesting...