Subsistence farming

Many households practised subsistence farming. They worked primarily to feed themselves rather than produce a large surplus for sale. Poverty also affected everyday life: rural families had limited access to education and few resources to withstand illness or a failed harvest.

Soldiers had money to spend, giving traders an incentive to bring goods to military bases and creating opportunities for producers who could supply them. This operated alongside older practices: many households still relied on subsistence farming and the exchange of specialist goods.