Intrusive flora of economic importance in ancient Italy
Date
1980
Authors
Sherwood, Andrew Neil
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Abstract
The aim of this thesis is to determine which plants were imported into ancient Italy , the circumstances permitting the introductions to take place and become established, and the subsequent effects of the intrusive plants upon the native flora and peoples of the peninsula.
The introduction provides a brief preface to the mechanics of plant introduction and defines the category of plants and the chronological period examined. This chapter contains a short discussion of the problems encountered in determining the geographical origins of a plant and used t o solve t hem. A brief account of the most important ancient and modern sources of information concludes the chapter.
Chapter II is a catalogue of the plant s which are known to be foreign to Italy. Entries are arranged in botanical order and where possible, common and ancient Lat in names a re given. A short description of the functions , importance, date and agent of introduction accompanies each entry. A summary of the pattern of introduction with regard to chronology and economic importance is provided by Table I and its interpretation in chapter III.
In chapter IV the factor s which resulted in plant importation and establishment in Italy are examined. Contact with new lands and peoples provided the greatest stimulus for importation. At first, alien plants were introduced by foreign peoples coming to Italy , but as Roman military and political power grew, the Romans penetrated other lands and imported plants into the peninsula themselves.
Chapter V reviews the consequences of alien flora upon the countryside and people. Except for relatively small areas, it would appear that native crops were not severely affected by intrusive plants until the first century A. D. In fact, the importation of certain plants probably helped to maintain the fertility of Italian soil and agricultural production. The effect upon the people of the peninsula was direct and important almost from the beginning. The staples of the Italian diet were largely formed from the products of introduced plants and variations in the diet were the result of importations. The change from subsistence to profit farming was made possible by alien flora and created a special problem for Rome--the need to import grain.
The summary offers a terse survey of the patterns of plant introduction in the general light of changing Italian culture. It also places t he investigated period within the larger chronological framework of the major waves of plant introduction into Italy in order to illustrate the great importance of this period to the peninsula.