The auction was an institution in the Hellenistic world, with Greek states using them as an effective method of redistributing land and gathering extra funds. Land in Greece itself was a precious resource, and advancing agricultural techniques along with a growing network of trade allowed landowners to make their plots profitable through farming and animal husbandry. Like so many Greek institutions, the auction of land became common in other territories as a means for governments to profit from their land, particularly disused and derelict plots.
