Iberian Mines and Imperial Matters: Re-conceptualizing Labor, Technologies, and Communities of Practice in Roman Iberia

Summary

The landscapes of the Iberian Peninsula were famous in antiquity for their richness in metals, and scholars have long claimed that these metals were a draw for colonial interest in the region from early on. This is especially true following the Roman conquest of Iberia in the late 3rd century BCE, when the scale of mining increased dramatically to accommodate the growing needs of the Roman empire. This was made possible through dramatic shifts in the organization of labor and the technological practices surrounding mining. Scholars often attribute these changes to Roman innovation, ignoring the long-term history of indigenous mining in many areas and the potential significance of local people in the successes of the industry. In this paper, I challenge this conventional interpretation and explore the diverse contributions of local people to the mining industry, from their knowledge of local resource distribution to their work as laborers in mining and subsidiary industries. I argue that Roman conquest transformed the everyday lives of local people, who in turn participated in the diverse communities of practice in Roman mining landscapes, contributing knowledge, skills, and resources that fueled an industry that was key to the creation of the Roman empire.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 19880