Farm

Agriculture in dry climes was and remains a difficult endeavour. Water and its proper use are the crucial factors: rivers and flood plains might be good for growing crops, but a flood can wash away good soil instead of renewing the land. In more arid areas, farmers are reliant on canals and qanats for irrigation, and water must be managed carefully. Good farmland is often at a premium. Farms produced wheat, barley, olives and wine, as well enabled the husbandry of cattle, goats and sheep. Despite apparently unpromising land, many eastern states, including Parthia and Persia, had a strong agricultural base.