Friday, July 31, 2026
Science

Ancient Rome's food shortages were shaped more by logistics than climate

Ancient Rome's greatest threat to food security wasn't the weather but the challenge of getting grain to the capital, according to a new study. By comparing hundreds of years of historical records with reconstructions of past climate, researchers found that periods of unusual heat, cold, drought or...

Ancient Rome's food shortages were shaped more by logistics than climate
Image: Phys.org
Ancient Rome's greatest threat to food security wasn't the weather but the challenge of getting grain to the capital, according to a new study. By comparing hundreds of years of historical records with reconstructions of past climate, researchers found that periods of unusual heat, cold, drought or heavy rainfall rarely lined up with reported food shortages.

Originally published at Phys.org

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