Olive oil and wine production in the interior of the Valley of Vinalopó (Alicante) in the Roman period

Abstract

The creation and development of the Roman colony of Ilici Augusta (La Alcudia, Elche) in the last third of the first century BC gave rise to a deep redesigning of the surrounding countryside, which was mainly dedicated to agricultural exploitation. It affected all the lands along the fluvial basin of the Vinalopó river, a natural economic and cultural scope northbound of Ilici Augusta. It had the support of the oppidum of “El Monastil” (Elda), which turned into a civitas peregrina named Elo. The new economic exploitation was organized from this civitas peregrina, including the new structure which emerged after the implementation of the centuriatio and the Roman division into plots of that colony, also joined by some villas and fundi. The latter were in charge of obtaining mainly oil, but also wine. Both oil and wine went for local consumption and not for trading in the medium or long haul. The material traces which prove this Roman agricultural activity are studied in this article.