Technological innovation and economic progress in the ancient world: M. I.Finley re-considered

Greek and Roman economic stagnation and technological blockage have long be en accepted as facts, rather than interpretations. This status was reinforc ed in this journal in 1965 in an article by Finley, who has had a dispropor tionate influence upon historians of economics and technology because he re ached a broad readership beyond classics and archaeology. Finley's views ha ve been discussed vigorously in subsequent decades, but the outcome of the debate has not been widely communicated. This article uses new material evi dence, reconsiderations of texts, and current theoretical approaches to off er a more dynamic picture of ancient, economic and technological activity a nd to raise awareness of specialist literature.