As ever-increasing populations demanded more goods it became necessary to explore the principles of mass-production. This led to the development of piecework: the construction of component parts that could be produced quickly and in large quantities. Teams of workers would then assemble these parts into goods. Roman philosopher and writer, Pliny the Elder, tells of shops dedicated to the production of individual chandelier parts. There is also evidence to suggest that factory-like production was used in urban areas for the manufacture of pots, building parts and military items.
