Hanneke’s Reviews > Rubicon: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic > Status Update

(In northern Gaul territory) By Caesar’s time, the exchange rate had stabilized at a jar of wine for one slave, which, at least as far as the Romans were concerned, made for a fabulously profitable import-export business. The slaves could be sold on for a huge mark-up and provided manpower to enable more gallons of wine to be produced. The Gauls stayed sozzled and the merchants grew rich.