Archeology has has contributed much to our knowledge of ancient peoples.. burial sites, tombs, graves etc..do give some credence to "assumptions" about th stature of ancient people, as do the reconstuction of ancient buildings. Most historians are agreed that the Romans were keen students of agricultural methods and farming, as were the greeks. They also had, for that time, much better tools. There are numerous books and Thesis on this subject.
I agree that historical evidence gets revised because new facts come to light, but it also gets revised for other, not so scholarly reasons. So when it does get revised I like to know what the new evidence is.
If there are few roads, no canals, no boats owned, no horses owned and work to be done, people did not pick up and waft up to London unless they had the means to do so, the labouring classes had no such means.
I would like very much to continue chatting with you, but I am not keen to become a member of Mudcat for a number of reasons. So we shall end here. I have enjoyed this discussion very much, thanks.
If a new thread were started it would likely go below the line, as a guest I am not allowed there, so would not be able to continue.