Agroclimatic landscapes of pergamon: Modeling agricultural suitability of an ancient city and its environs

Agricultural suitability in Pergamon's environs varied significantly over time, with the western Bakırçay plain consistently supporting crop cultivation due to stable climatic conditions. In contrast, the eastern plain and foothills showed greater variability, necessitating adaptive land management strategies. This study challenges the notion of a uniform 'Roman Climate Optimum,' highlighting local agroclimatic nuances that influenced ancient societies' economic dependencies on trade networks. Researchers used paleoclimate simulations integrated with the EcoCrop niche model to reconstruct spatio-temporal changes in agricultural potential from 400 BCE to 400 CE, validated by pollen-based reconstructions.

Busch, R., Dallmeyer, A., Herzschuh, U., Pirson, F., Schütt, B., & Becker, F. (2025). Agroclimatic landscapes of pergamon: Modeling agricultural suitability of an ancient city and its environs. PLOS One, 20(7), e0325779. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325779