The papyri of Egypt offer a rich and complex picture of this important Roman province and provide an unparalleled insight into how a Roman province actually worked. They also afford a valuable window into ancient economic behaviour and everyday life. This study is the first systematic treatment of the role of land transport within the economic life of Roman Egypt, an everyday economic activity at the centre of the economy not only of Egypt but of the Roman world. Colin Adams studies the economics of animal ownership, the role of transport in the commercial and agricultural economies of Egypt, and how the Roman state used provincial resources to meet its own transport demands. He reveals a complex relationship between private individual and state in their use of transport resources, a dynamic and rational economy, and the economic and administrative behaviour imposed when an imperial power made demands upon a province.

Inland waterways are a host for a mode of transport that is not as visible to the general public or as used as it once was. It is, however, generally perceived to be very important to our freight transport system today, although a closer look into the inland waterway transport system rebuts this perception and reveals the strengths and opportunities of this mode of transportation. This book gives the reader a thorough understanding of the current role of inland waterway transport as a freight transport system and its conditions. Drawing on case studies from across Europe, this text explores the economic, logistic, and technological and policy issues related to inland waterway transport and the challenges that changes in these areas present to this transport mode. It also explores the strategies for the inland waterway transport sector to secure and then enlarge its role in the future of freight transport. Inland Waterway Transport will be an invaluable source for students and researchers of transport studies. In addition, the book will be useful to policymakers and practitioners involved in its development. It may also appeal to wider readers with an interest in the fascinating business of inland waterway transport.

First Published in 2005. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.