Classical demography
From around 800 BC, Greek city-states began colonizing the Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts. Suggested reasons for this dramatic expansion include overpopulation, severe droughts, or an escape for vanquished people. The population of the areas of Greek settlement from the western Mediterranean to Asia Minor and the Black Sea in the 4th century BC has been estimated at up to 10 million. Greece proper saw fluctuating geographical definitions over time. While today the ancient kingdom of Macedonia is always considered part of the Greek world, in the Classical period it was a distinct entity. Almost all modern residents of historical Ionia now speak Turkish, although from the 1st millennium BC Ionia was densely populated by Greek-speaking people. Estimates of the Greek-speaking population on the coast and islands of the Aegean Sea during the 5th century BC vary from 800,000 to more than 3,000,000. In Athens and Attica in the 5th century BC there were up to 150,000 Athenians of the citizen class. Around 30,000 aliens and 100,000 slaves resided there, most living outside the city and port. Massalia was colonized in 600 BCE by Ionian Greeks from Phokaia. Further Greek colonies were established across the southern coast of Gaul west towards the Iberian Peninsula to Emporion and Hemeroscopium.
Phoenicia also established colonies along the Mediterranean, including Carthage founded 814 BCE. The Phoenicians were a civilization known for their seafaring expertise, trading, exploring Hanno the Navigator and Hamlico, and colonization. Their alphabet is at the root basis for the Greek, Latin and even the English lettering. They went with their wide travels. In Canaan they founded the famous ancient independent city-states of Gubla later called Byblos, Tyre, Sidon, Berytus present-day Beirut, and Arwad Tartus Syria. From Canaan across the Great Sea and beyond the Pillars of Hercules, the Phoenicians traded from Egypt and Persia to Rome. Tin came from Britania, wine from across the region, Tyrian Purple Dye, Lapis Lazuli from the Hind Kush, glass, amphora and much more. Both the Greeks and Romans were influenced by their colonization. The Phoenicians established colonies and trading posts across North Africa and through the Straits of Gibraltar into the Atlantic Ocean. These included Hippo Regius, Icosium, Hadrumetum, Utica, Lixus, Tingis, Oea Tripoli, Gades Cadiz, Leptis Magna, Sabratha, Pharos Island Alexandria, many Mediterranean islands Sis Palermo Motya and Soluntum on Sicily, Kitiya Kition Crete, the Balearic Islands, Karaly Cagliari Sardinia. Trading posts existed in Porto at the Douro River, Lisbon at the Tagus River, Arambys Mogador Island Essaouira Morocco. Due to many factors, the Punic Wars being a primary one, there are few writings in Punic.
When urbanization began to take place, it was Pella which became the largest city. The Kingdom of Macedonia had 4 million people after the Wars of the Diadochi. Greek historian Diodorus Siculus estimated that 7,000,000 inhabitants resided in Egypt during his lifetime before its annexation by the Roman Empire. Of this, he states that 300,000 citizens lived within the city of Alexandria. Later historians have queried whether the country could have supported such high numbers. The population of the vast Seleucid Empire has been estimated to have been higher than 30 million. Others indicate as few as 20 million inhabitants in the whole of Alexander's earlier empire of which it had been a part. Colin McEvedy and Richard Jones published an Atlas of World Population History in 1978 regarding these figures. Demographic questions play an important role in determining the size and structure of the economy of Ancient Greece and the Roman economy. The period was characterized by an explosion in population with the rise of the Greek and Roman civilizations followed by a steep decline caused by economic and social disruption.
The Romans carried out a regular census of citizens eligible for military service according to Polybius 2.23. For the population of the rest of Italy at this time we must rely on a single report of the military strength of Rome's allies in 227 BC. The citizen count in the second century B.C. hovered between 250 and 325,000 presumably males over the age of 13. The census of 70/69 B.C. records 910,000 presumably due to the extension of citizenship to the allies after the Social War of 91, 88. Historians have developed two radically different accounts resting on different interpretations of the figures of 4,036,000 recorded for the census carried out by Augustus in 28 BC. They also interpret 4,233,000 in 8 BC and 4,937,000 in 14 AD. Almost 6 million people were counted during the reign of Claudius. Many lived in Spain, Gaul and other parts of the Empire. If 4.063 only represents adult male citizens there were 13 million Romans. If all adults 6.5 million or some subset of adult male citizens those over age 13 as the census traditionally did not count children until they were formally enrolled as citizens early in puberty, then the population of Italy must have been around 10 million. This was a striking sustained increase despite Roman losses in almost constant wars over the previous two centuries.
Evidence for the population of Rome itself or of the other cities of Roman Italy is equally scarce. For the capital estimates have been based on the number of houses listed in 4th-century AD guidebooks. The size of the built-up area and volume of water supply are problematic factors. The best guess is based on the number of recipients of the grain dole under Augustus, 200,000 implying a population of around 800,000 to 1,200,000. Italy had numerous urban centers with over 400 listed by Pliny the Elder. The majority were small with populations of just a few thousand. As much as 40% of the population might have lived in towns if including all centers. This represents 25% if the city of Rome is excluded. Studies of later periods would not count the smallest centers as urban. If only cities of 10,000 plus are counted, Italys level of urbanisation was a more realistic but still impressive 25%. This excludes Rome which drops it to 11%. Estimates for the population of mainland Italia at the beginning of the 1st Century AD range from 6,000,000 according to Beloch in 1886. Russell in 1958 estimated 6,830,000 while Hin in 2007 suggested less than 10,000,000. Lo Cascio in 2009 proposed 14,000,000.
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Common questions
When did Greek city-states begin colonizing the Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts?
Greek city-states began colonizing the Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts from around 800 BC. This dramatic expansion included areas from the western Mediterranean to Asia Minor and the Black Sea.
What was the estimated population of Greece proper in the 4th century BC?
The population of the areas of Greek settlement from the western Mediterranean to Asia Minor and the Black Sea in the 4th century BC has been estimated at up to 10 million. Estimates for the Greek-speaking population on the coast and islands of the Aegean Sea during the 5th century BC vary from 800,000 to more than 3,000,000.
Which Phoenician colonies were established across North Africa and through the Straits of Gibraltar into the Atlantic Ocean?
Phoenicians established colonies including Hippo Regius, Icosium, Hadrumetum, Utica, Lixus, Tingis, Oea Tripoli, Gades Cadiz, Leptis Magna, Sabratha, Pharos Island Alexandria, many Mediterranean islands Sis Palermo Motya and Soluntum on Sicily, Kitiya Kition Crete, the Balearic Islands, Karaly Cagliari Sardinia, Porto at the Douro River, Lisbon at the Tagus River, Arambys Mogador Island Essaouira Morocco.
How many inhabitants did Egypt have according to Diodorus Siculus before its annexation by the Roman Empire?
Greek historian Diodorus Siculus estimated that 7,000,000 inhabitants resided in Egypt during his lifetime before its annexation by the Roman Empire. Of this, he states that 300,000 citizens lived within the city of Alexandria.
What was the population count recorded for the census carried out by Augustus in 28 BC?
Historians have developed two radically different accounts resting on different interpretations of the figures of 4,036,000 recorded for the census carried out by Augustus in 28 BC. They also interpret 4,233,000 in 8 BC and 4,937,000 in 14 AD.