Economic growth in the Roman Mediterranean world: An early good-bye to Malthus?

Was the Roman world caught in a Malthusian trap? In this survey, I draw on a wide range of evidence - from archeological data to city size estimates - to argue that Malthusian constraints were not binding over long periods. Market-size effects allowed the Roman economy to grow substantially in per capita terms, despite population growth. I place these observations in the context of recent debates and contributions by both ancient historians and - for the long run - by economists.