1. Agent Based Modeling & Roman Resource Extraction An exploratory lab Shawn Graham, Carleton University shawn_graham@carleton.ca @electricarchaeo

2. The problem with Roman resources Evidence Growth and the extractive economy?

3. Harold Innis & the intellectual foundations for growth

5. Agent modeling Necessary simplifications Simulation: not of the past, but of our thinking about the past Bill Murray & Groundhog Day

6. The model Economy Environment Patronage ....in a resource economy, patronage enables effective exploitation...

7. An Example of Model Code

8. Set up the basics: 1. create a world with a resource. 2. harvest 3. movement = consumes resource. 4. consumption > resource = death.

9. Add patronage: 5. can ask for help (become a client) 6. can help others; can improve the world 7. compete & support

10. In practice, one cycle looks like this:

11. Model Results Four different resource settings Model stops at 50 generations # of cycles it takes to reach that end point: stability, instability Generated social networks: Network growth Network reach (participation rate) Embeddedness Compare with real-world social networks

12. Correspondence with observed brick networks in first & second centuries Other patterns ‘strong’ network growth implications Occurs for particular settings for forest, mineral, and clay embeddedness

13. Lab conclusions Patterns of inequality What kind of growth?

14. From the lab to the real world: an agenda A framework for understanding... BUT Need more & better network data from antiquity Epigraphy, prosopography, archaeometry, regional distribution studies, etc can provide this A model is just a tool for sharpening thoughts. Model shortcomings & desiderata