Antiquity: The Olive–Grape–Grain Trio

Olive and olive oil were the main products, coinciding with the symbol of “fertility” in the Artemis cult; oil was used both in the kitchen and in rituals. In addition, viticulture was common; wine was an export product via the port as well as for the domestic market. Wheat and barley were staple foods for daily bread and porridge; the plains were allocated for grain, while the slopes were reserved for vineyards and olives.

In large estates, the labor of slaves and the free tenant/sharecropper (colonus) system were employed; family labor was used on small plots. Seasonal work during harvest time relied on itinerant laborers. Irrigation and infrastructure were supported by canals from the Küçük Menderes, weirs, and simple terracing.