An attempt to assess the GNP and the GNP per capita in the Ancient Rome

Abstract

The work is aimed at assessing the Gross National Product (GNP) in the Ancient Rome using the contemporary economic methodology. The scanty and accidental source data giving exemplarily information on a    worker’s daily rate    of pay and the span in grain prices turn out to be sufficient in order to calculate adopting some assumptions (modius – an ancient measure for grain, number of people, consumption, pays) the GNP and the GNP per capita in the state existing 2000 years ago. Based on these assumptions the GNP was calculated by an expenditure‐based valuation method as a sum of food, consumption, investment expenditures and the expenditures for the maintenance of the state apparatus and by an income‐based valuation method as a sum of incomes generated by the people. In addition, in order to make reference of the so calculated GNP of the Ancient Rome to the contemporary times, we have used, using the Geary‐Khamis, the GNP conversion factor.   Basing on these conversions it is clear that the Ancient Rome economy in respect of its potential was similar to the economies of the Medieval European states.