Level 3 - Life in Roman Sussex

Merchants & Money

Trading Systems

The trading of commodities, both within Britain and with the rest of the Empire, was a fundamental part of the economy. In the immediate post-conquest period, this economy was probably destabilized by the massive amount of money that poured in to pay for the substantial military presence. At this early stage, it is unlikely that there were enough goods to fully supply the new markets, and so certain products would undoubtedly have been sold at inflated prices. To take advantage of this, overseas merchants soon flocked to parts of the newly conquered land, and goods were imported in increasing quantities. Amphorae - mostly from Spain, Italy and France - have been found across Sussex (see Food & Drink), while many forms of imported fineware products have also turned up in the region. It is likely that for a generation or two after the conquest, distribution of these Romanized imports was controlled by the native elite within the client kingdom.

New Forest ware beaker from Falmer, near Brighton

In the 3rd and 4th centuries the continental vessels were generally replaced by those of the major British potteries in the New Forest, Nene Valley (Peterborough) and Oxfordshire. They also made a range of coarseware products, although these were more likely to have been obtained locally at centres such as Wiggonholt.

It is generally quite easy to recognize the imported products in the archaeological record, but what is more uncertain is the nature of the exports. The most prolific export would undoubtedly have been grain, which is known to have been exported widely in the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. Slaves would also have been treated as commodities, and are likely to have been traded in significant numbers, especially in the era of conquest and rebellion during the 1st century AD. Other exports would have included minerals, such as the iron from the Weald, together with textiles, and hunting dogs. British types of the latter two goods were especially regarded across the empire.

Taxation & Coinage

Following the incorporation of the Regni into the province, its inhabitants were subject to the imperial system of taxation. Council members in Chichester were responsible for collecting monetary taxes (in the form of silver or gold coin) from people in the civitas, and were held personally liable for any shortfall. The coinage from taxation would then have gone to the offices of the procurator.

There were large quantities of coins within Britain, but it is unlikely that a free market monetary economy existed. Most day-to-day business would undoubtedly have been carried out by bartering goods, with coins being used mainly for large or official transactions, such as the payment of taxes. In this case, low value bronze coinage may have been accumulated so that it could be exchanged for the high value silver or gold coins needed by the tax system.

The massive inflation of the 3rd century AD led to a change in the system of taxation, as the coinage was reduced in real value. At this point, the raw goods themselves - especially grain - were delivered to collection points in lieu of coin tax, so that the army could use them.
The increase in tax demands in the later empire almost certainly led to growing resentment from the lower classes and increased pressures on the tax-collecting classes.