The Economic and Political History Podcast The Roman Economy: The lives of the 90% | Kimberly Bowes with Javier Mejia
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Oct 4, 2025 Kimberly Bowes, a Professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania, explores the overlooked stories of ordinary Romans in her work. She shares fascinating tales of everyday people like tenant farmers and moneylenders, revealing the complex economic challenges they faced. The discussion covers how ancient lower classes contributed to a consumer revolution and managed multiple income sources. Bowes also addresses the nuances of labor, gender, and the struggle for financial stability in a society marked by inequality.
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Epiphany That Launched Peasant Research
- Kimberly Bowes describes her two-part epiphany that shifted her research toward ordinary Romans.
- She started the Roman Peasant Project to 'dig up poor people' and study smallholder farmers directly.
Why Elites Dominated Ancient Studies
- Elite sources dominated past scholarship because they produced most surviving texts and monuments.
- New commercial archaeology and legal shifts have revealed abundant data on farmers and artisans, changing the field's focus.
The 90% As A Practice-Based Category
- Bowes frames the '90%' as those who make a living from manual labor rather than a strict income bracket.
- She argues we lack robust wealth distribution metrics for Rome and so focuses on practices not pre-defined categories.
