guidoLaMoto Posted 6 hours ago Report Share Posted 6 hours ago (edited) The first census of Romans wad conducted during the reign of Servius Tullius (6th century BC) and said to be 80,000 men of military age. Allowing for kids, wives and old folks, that would probably bump the total number up to 200,000 plus.... Given, for perspective, that the area of the Palatine Hill is 80 acres, the forum < 20 ac, and the population density of Manhattan now 70,000/ sq mile (640 ac/sq mi) and nobody (except for maybe Oliver Wendal Douglas before he moved to Hooterville) grows grain or herds sheep in Manhattan, we have to wonder how accurate that census number was. Even if we consider Romans to have lived in a wider area than just the seven hills neighborhood, arch-rival Fidenae is only 10 miles away, Rome's safe living area was probably no more than a circle of radius 5 mi-- ~30 sq mi..... 210,000/ 30 = 7,000/ sq mi-- pretty dense for a farming/sheparding community. Edited 6 hours ago by guidoLaMoto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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