Editing Roman Britain (section)

== Economy ==
{{See also|Roman economy|Mining in Roman Britain}}
[[File:Roman.Britain.Production.jpg|thumb|Industrial production in Roman Britain]]
[[File:Dolaucothimap4.jpg|thumb|Development of [[Dolaucothi Gold Mines]] in [[Wales]]]]
Mineral extraction sites such as the [[Dolaucothi Gold Mines|Dolaucothi gold mine]] were probably first worked by the Roman army from c. 75, and at some later stage passed to civilian operators. The mine developed as a series of opencast workings, mainly by the use of [[hydraulic mining]] methods. They are described by [[Pliny the Elder]] in his [[Natural History (Pliny)|''Natural History'']] in great detail. Essentially, water supplied by [[aqueduct (water supply)|aqueducts]] was used to prospect for ore veins by stripping away soil to reveal the [[bedrock]]. If veins were present, they were attacked using [[fire-setting]] and the ore removed for [[comminution]]. The dust was washed in a small stream of water and the heavy gold dust and [[gold nugget]]s collected in [[riffle#Gold mining|riffles]]. The diagram at right shows how Dolaucothi developed from {{Circa|lk=no}} 75 through to the 1st century. When opencast work was no longer feasible, tunnels were driven to follow the veins. The evidence from the site shows advanced technology probably under the control of army engineers.<ref>{{Cite web |title= History – Overview: Roman Britain, 43 – 410 AD |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/overview_roman_01.shtml |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=BBC  |language=en-GB}}</ref>

The [[Weald]]en ironworking zone, the lead and silver mines of the [[Mendip Hills]] and the tin mines of Cornwall seem to have been private enterprises leased from the government for a fee. Mining had long been practised in Britain (see [[Grimes Graves]]), but the Romans introduced new technical knowledge and large-scale industrial production to revolutionise the industry. It included [[hydraulic mining]] to prospect for ore by removing overburden as well as work alluvial deposits. The water needed for such large-scale operations was supplied by one or more [[aqueduct (water supply)|aqueducts]], those surviving at Dolaucothi being especially impressive. Many prospecting areas were in dangerous, [[highland|upland]] country, and, although mineral exploitation was presumably one of the main reasons for the Roman invasion, it had to wait until these areas were subdued.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Economy and Power in Late Roman Britain |url=https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/40223/chapter-abstract/345921164?redirectedFrom=fulltext |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=academic.oup.com}}</ref>

By the 3rd and 4th centuries, small towns could often be found near villas. In these towns, villa owners and small-scale farmers could obtain specialist tools. Lowland Britain in the 4th century was agriculturally prosperous enough to export grain to the continent. This prosperity lay behind the blossoming of villa building and decoration that occurred between AD 300 and 350.

Britain's cities also consumed Roman-style pottery and other goods, and were centres through which goods could be distributed elsewhere. At [[Wroxeter]] in Shropshire, stock smashed into a gutter during a 2nd-century fire reveals that Gaulish samian ware was being sold alongside mixing bowls from the Mancetter-Hartshill industry of the West Midlands. Roman designs were most popular, but rural craftsmen still produced items derived from the [[Iron Age]] [[La Tène culture|La Tène]] artistic traditions. Britain was home to much gold, which attracted Roman invaders. By the 3rd century, Britain's economy was diverse and well established, with commerce extending into the non-Romanised north.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Romans: Commerce |url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/story-of-england/romans/commerce/ |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=English Heritage}}</ref>