About the Book: Economica rewrites economic history by placing women at the heart of human progress, tracing their vital contributions from prehistoric farming to the digital age. Historian Victoria Bateman reveals how women have been instrumental in building civilization—from female laborers in the Great Pyramid of Giza and silk weavers on the Silk Road to medieval brewers in London and 20th-century economic reformers—often hidden from traditional accounts. Spanning 12 millennia across global centers like Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and modern economies, this sweeping narrative uncovers how female entrepreneurs, artisans, and workers shaped wealth and innovation. Far from marginalized figures, Bateman shows that women were economic agents whose contributions were sidelined—not absent—affecting everything from trade to industrial growth. Packed with riveting stories and transformative insight, Economica offers a fresh, inclusive view of economic history—one that acknowledges women’s true role in creating global prosperity.
