I wonder if one can dedicate bsky threads to people. If so, this is of course dedicated to Fergus Millar (1935-2019).
John Ma πΊπ¦
Ancient historian here: it did not (but it did offer free wheat to Roman CITIZENS, a legal status, living in the city of Rome)
John Ma πΊπ¦
Um ... the Roman Empire literally directly fed its people for a thousand years
Grace Pritchard Burson
None of us can really conceptualise just how much the premodern state genuinely did not see it as its duty to make sure you, you specifically, do not die
