Imperial Mines and Quarries in the Roman World Organizational Aspects 27 BC-AD 235

For the Roman empire the control of its metal and marble resources was of high significance: marble was central to the representation of imperial wealth and power and the uninhibited access to metal vital for the economic and political survival of the empire. Alfred Michael Hirt's study provides a detailed survey of the organizational measures devised for the extraction of metals and marbles from mines and quarries under imperial control. Following a description of geological and topographical constraints and organizational challenges, Hirt focuses on the legal definition of mining and quarrying districts, the hierarchical structures and administrative responsibilities of the imperial officials (procuratores) and their staff, as well as on the role of the Roman army, of private contractors, and the workforce in these extractive operations. Finally, Hirt addresses the position of mining and quarrying operations within the wider framework of the imperial administration and explores the role of the emperor vis-à-vis the mines and quarries within his empire. Although the emperor could play a vital role in allocating people and resources to quarries and mines, much of the administrative burden was placed on the men on the spot-a result of varying organizational constraints faced by procurators, army officers, or private contractors charged with running mining and quarrying operations. Book jacket.

Alfred Michael Hirt is a researcher at the University of Zurich, and visiting scholar, Cambridge University.