Editing Agriculture in ancient Rome (section)

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[[File:Mähmaschine.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|[[Relief]] depicting a [[Roman Gaul|Gallo-Roman]] harvester]]
'''Roman agriculture''' describes the farming practices of [[ancient Rome]], during a period of over 1000 years. From humble beginnings, the [[Roman Republic]] (509 BC–27 BC) and the [[Roman Empire]] (27 BC–476 AD) expanded to rule much of [[Europe]], northern [[Africa]], and the [[Middle East]] and thus comprised many agricultural environments of which the [[Mediterranean climate]] of dry, hot summers and cool, rainy winter was the most common. Within the Mediterranean area, a triad of crops were most important: [[grain]]s, [[olive]]s, and [[Viticulture|grapes]].
 
The great majority of the people ruled by Rome were engaged in agriculture. From the beginning of small, largely self-sufficient landowners, rural society became dominated by [[latifundium]], large estates owned by the wealthy and utilizing mostly slave labor. The growth in the urban population, especially of the city of Rome, required the development of commercial markets and long-distance trade in agricultural products, especially grain, to supply the people in the cities with food.