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Innovation and Investment in the Roman Rural Economy Through the Lens of Marzuolo (Tuscany, Italy)*

Astrid Van Oyen · 2019 · Past & Present

Summary. This historical study of a Roman pottery production site in Tuscany reveals that rural innovation was driven by local smallholders experimenting with production techniques, not by elite landowners as traditionally assumed. Local experimentation was limited by lack of capital, while later large-scale production involved a landowner appropriating the facility. The findings reframe innovation as a process rooted in human capital, labor, and production relationships rather than external investment.

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Oyen, A. V.. (2019). Innovation and Investment in the Roman Rural Economy Through the Lens of Marzuolo (Tuscany, Italy)*. Past & Present. https://doi.org/10.1093/pastj/gtz062

Details

DOI
10.1093/pastj/gtz062
Countries
Italy
Regions
Europe
Categories
innovation-theory, regional-innovation-systems
Added
2026-04-28