History glossary
Surplus agriculture
farming that produces more food than people need immediately, allowing storage, trade, and specialized jobs.
- Category
- Economic concept
- Region
- Common in early river-valley civilizations
What it means
Surplus agriculture means a community can grow extra food beyond immediate survival needs. In early Mesopotamia, stored grain helped support priests, scribes, builders, soldiers, and craft workers, which made larger towns, temples, governments, and trade networks possible.
Related terms
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