Exploring economic integration of peasant settlements in Roman Central Spain (1st c. − 3rd c. AD)

Abstract

Preventive excavations in the metropolitan area of Madrid (Spain) resulted in the study of the archaeological record of a number of Roman non-elite rural sites, which uniquely allow for the analysis of ancient peasant economies in central Roman Spain. We engage with current debates on the economic roles and integration of peasant sites in the Roman imperial economy, and report on the application of a network science method to the economic networks established among these settlements. The Louvain modularity measure is used to explore two competing hypotheses on the level of integration or segregation of peasant communities within the Roman economy. The results suggest a pattern of weak integration that was maintained with little change between the 1st and the 3rd century CE.