Pagina 411 van 2651

Tillage, indeed, in that part of ancient Italy which lay in the

neighbour hood of Rome, must have been very much discouraged by

the distributions of corn which were frequently made to the

people, either gratuitously, or at a very low price. This corn

was brought from the conquered provinces, of which several,

instead of taxes, were obliged to furnish a tenth part of their

produce at a stated price, about sixpence a-peck, to the

republic. The low price at which this corn was distributed to the

people, must necessarily have sunk the price of what could be

brought to the Roman market from Latium, or the ancient territory

of Rome, and must have discouraged its cultivation in that

country.