Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella was a prominent Roman writer on agriculture in the Roman Empire.
Portrait of Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella by Jean de Tournes (Insignium aliquot virorum icones, Lyon, 1559)
Statue of Columella, holding a sickle and an ox-yoke, in the Plaza de las Flores, Cádiz
De re rustica, 1564
Agriculture in ancient Rome
Roman agriculture describes the farming practices of ancient Rome, during a period of over 1000 years. From humble beginnings, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire 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: grains, olives, and grapes.
Roman hoe blade, from the Field Museum in Chicago
Arles aqueduct at the Barbegal mills
Part-reconstructed mills below rock-cut channel, Barbegal
Gallo-Roman harvesting machine