Mining and the Production of Precious Metals in Roman Lusitania (First Century B. C. – Third Century A. D.)

Abstract

The mines of Lusitania have not received the attention they merit in some general recent studies of mining across the Roman Empire. This paper seeks to provide an overview of the development of mining from the late Republic to late antiquity in what became the province of Lusitania, taking into account some of the latest archaeological evidence, and to consider the administrative regime under which mining of the various metal resources of the province took place under Roman rule. It also aims to provide a brief assessment on the social and economic impact of mining and metal production on the province of Lusitania itself.