Abstract:
This thesis explores the relationship between the Athenian grain supply and its relationship with Athenian state and economic policies in the fifth and fourth centuries BCE. The thesis begins with a demographic study that provides a minimum and maximum population figure for both centuries: fifthcentury BCE (min. 325,000, max. 355,000), fourth-century BCE (min, 235,000, max. 310,000). This is used as a foundation for calculating grain consumption levels: fifth-century BCE (min. 50,335 metric tons, max. 52,438 metric tons), fourth-century BCE (min. 34,966 metric tons, max. 10,500 metric tons). An investigation into the domestic grain supply of Athens reveals that the estimated total of 17,000 metric tons was insufficient to cater for the consumption rates presented above. Therefore, Athens’ responded accordingly in both centuries with different strategies. The fifth-century BCE saw Athens electing for military and naval advancement, with the assistance of the Delian League. In addition, the presence of Euboea as a primary grain supplier for Athens meant that the problem may have been shortly curtailed. The loss of Euboea in 411 BCE prompted Athens to seek other recourses for grain, which included the Pontus and Black Sea region. This also involved setting up various state policies, laws, and regulations. The proliferation of administrative positions as well as the number of officers at Piraeus increased drastically in the fourth-century BCE, suggesting that Athenian military and naval advancement gave way to a state-regulated control of grain. However, this is not altogether true as an analysis on the trapezitai and emporoi show that grain imports were not entirely state controlled and these individuals were an essential part of the process. The trapezitai and emporoi operated almost on a self-management basis, with the state’s laws and regulations on the periphery, functioning as guidelines. To conclude, in both the fifth and fourth centuries BCE, the Athenian population exceeded its carrying capacity and was not able to fulfil the demands of grain consumption and imported grain from Euboea in the fifth-century, and the Black Sea region in the foruth-century. State policies in the fifth-century were largely based on military and naval control over the Aegean whilst in the fourth-century, state policies were focused on governance without warfare with the assistance of important groups such as the trapezitai and emporoi.