Agricola : $b A study of agriculture and rustic life in the Greco-Roman world from the point of view of labour

This listener’s guide opens a panoramic view of ancient agriculture, following the everyday hands that tended fields from Homeric verses to late‑Roman legal codes. The author stitches together poetry, philosophy, juristic commentary and scattered inscriptions, letting the voices of farmers, slaves and colonists speak across centuries. The result is a textured portrait that treats the soil itself as a historical source.

The first part surveys Greek rural life, tracing early hints of serfdom, seasonal rituals and the moral weight attached to toil in works such as Hesiod’s Works and Days. It then moves into the Roman world, where the book examines the rise of slavery, the mechanics of the colonus system, and the practical advice of writers like Columella and Varro. Throughout, the narrative stays grounded in the lives of labourers rather than the grand strategies of emperors.

Listeners will come away with a vivid sense of how ancient societies organized food production, negotiated ownership, and infused daily labour with cultural meaning. By the end of the first act, the framework for comparing Greek and Roman practices is clearly laid out, inviting deeper exploration of how these foundations echo in modern agricultural thought.