Roman Landholding in Asia Minor Author(s): Thomas Robert ...

Vol. lxv]
Roman Landholding in Asia Minor 207
XII.--Roman Landholding in Asia Minor
THOMAS ROBERT SHANNON BROUGHTON
BRYN MAWR COLLEGE
According to the usual explanation the imperial estates of Asia Minor were
derived in large part directly from crown or temple lands. In this article a
study of the evidence by regions and periods leads to the conclusion that in
all parts of Asia Minor, and particularly in the provinces acquired under the
republic, the development of the estates was in general more indirect and
complicated and more gradual than this explanation allows, and that a
large portion of the imperial land originated in Roman and native private
estates which came to the emperors by confiscation and inheritance.
The accepted explanation1 of the development of the large
imperial estates in Asia Minor has derived them very naturally
and plausibly from the personal and crown lands of the Hellen-
istic kings, with their villages of serfs and their semi-feudal
military and noble possessors, and from the numerous temple-
territories with their population of serfs. According to this
explanation the Romans declared the lands which had been
in the possession of the kings, both the personal and the crown
property, to be public land of Rome, and followed the kings'
example in despoiling the temples; in Asia and Bithynia the
extensive public lands which resulted were annexed by Antony,
along with the proceeds of the proscriptions; the whole then
passed to Augustus, and with the later additions of the royal
lands of Galatia, Paphlagonia, and Cappadocia, formed the
basis of the large and numerous imperial domains of the late
second and third centuries A.D. This theory presents a direct
1 W. M. Ramsay, Historical Geography of Asia Minor (H.G.) (London, John
Murray, 1890), 178-182; Cities and Bishoprics of Phrygia (Oxford, Clarendon,
1895-1897) (C.B.) i, 1, 275-339; Studies in the Eastern Roman Provinces (Aber-
deen University Studies xx, 1906 (E.R.P.), 305-377; M. I. Rostovtzeff, "Ge-
schichte des rbmischen Kolonats," Archiv fur Papyrusforschung, Beiheft 1
(1910), (Kol.), 240-312; Social and Economic History of the Roman Empire
(Italian edition, Firenze, La Nuova Italia, 1933) (S.E.H.), esp. 299-306; cf.
also Kornemann, s.v. Domdnen, P.-W. Supplb. iv, 227-268, where other literature
is cited.