The 2,000-Year-Old Economic Power of Women in an Ancient Olive Farm

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Excavations at Lyrboton Kome in Antalya reveal how olive oil production became a massive economy under the leadership of women during the Roman period.

The 2,000-Year-Old Economic Power of Women in an Ancient Olive Farm
Image credit: Dha

Lyrboton Kome, one of the most significant olive oil production centers of the Roman period in Antalya approximately 2,000 years ago, offers striking details regarding the economic structure of antiquity. Research conducted by the Akdeniz University Department of Archaeology has revealed that this settlement was not merely a production base, but also an economic powerhouse rising under the management of women [1].

A Revenue Stream Stretching from the Olive Farm to Perge

Stating that the ancient name of the site was 'Elaibaris,' meaning 'olive farm,' Prof. Dr. Nevzat Çevik emphasizes that rather than a large city, this was a massive production village containing dozens of workshops. The substantial revenue generated from olive oil was utilized in the construction of monumental structures and the main streets of the ancient city of Perge, to which it was administratively linked. This situation clearly demonstrates how rural production sustained the urban economy in antiquity.

Powerful Women at the Helm of Production

Excavations at the settlement have also brought to light the active role of women in social and economic life. Arete, a Priestess of Demeter, institutionalized regional production by commissioning an olive oil tower with her personal wealth. It was determined that her daughter and granddaughters continued this tradition after Arete, with the family amassing great fortune from the olive oil trade. This supports the prominence of women in management and production in the region, much like the example of Perge's famous female administrator, Plancia Magna [3].

A 2,000-Year-Old Nature Conservation Law

Inscriptions found at Lyrboton Kome also carry important clues regarding the foundation (waqf) culture and environmental consciousness of the ancient era. The foundation text prepared by Arete includes strict provisions against the cutting or selling of olive trees. This 'ancient law,' which serves as a message to the present day, defines the protection of olive groves as a sacred duty. Furthermore, it was stipulated that a portion of the production revenue be used to organize annual festivals in honor of Apollo, where the entire village population was to be hosted [4].

The depth of the olive culture in the region is not limited to terrestrial remains; 1,100-year-old olive pits found in shipwrecks off the coast of Antalya prove the unchanging strategic importance of this product in Mediterranean trade for millennia [1]. For additional sources and further reading strengthening this context, see [2].

Sources and further reading

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