ABSTRACT
The Greek cities of southern Italy had formed part of the capitalist system of the Hellenistic world; with Sicily and Sardinia they long remained one of the world's richest grain markets. Early in the sixth century Attic pottery reached Etruria, and for the next hundred year Greek imports and influences so predominated that it is often impossible to distinguish Greek and Etruscan work, at any rate in the minor arts. By the mid-fifth century it was clear that Rome was reverting to a simpler state: agriculture and warfare rather than industry or commerce filled life. If warfare stimulated industry, colonization checked it by draining the population. Before Rome's conquest of the Mediterranean world slavery was not such a grievous blot on her civilization as it became after her contact with Carthaginian, Hellenic and Oriental ideas. The creation of ius gentium; or commercial law, was a magnificent achievement by which Roman law was modernized.
