An important key to the understanding of agriculture is the form and extent of rural settlement, as well as detailed knowledge of the nature and number of settlements of all kinds and this includes cities as well as small shepherd huts. Archaeology is of major significance in this regard but historical evidence can be extremely important in assessing the manner in which land was owned, managed and exploited.

Pliny the Elder tells an old anecdote which is intended to reinforce his views on the importance of well managed hard work.

This small anecdote gives us a great deal of insight into farming techniques of the Romans. The whole point of Pliny's story would be lost if it was unthinkable that such implements could be found on a small farm. But most importantly we get a literary glimpse in how the Romans felt in regards to what is necessary for productive farming, even on a small scale such as Chresimus' farm. It is apparent that Pliny also feels this should carry over to the larger estates.

Many of the paintings or mosaics on the walls of Roman villas contain references to agriculture, mainly by means of representations of the seasons and less frequently by detailed scenes of farming techniques. These glimpses brings the subject to life and illustrate practices such as harvesting, ploughing and hunting. The tools involved are quite frequently distinct enough to help with the interpretation of artifacts found in excavations. Sculptures from northeastern Gaul have allowed a composite picture of a Roman reaping machine to be reproduced. Though described by Pliny, no actual fragments of one has so far been identified.

Agriculture, the basis of Celtic life before the Romans in Gaul remained the fundamental industry in Roman times. Evidence from villas and towns in Gaul and in Britain do show some gradual improvements in tools and implements such as hammers, saws, axes, planes. The two handed scythe was introduced for hay cutting which made work a bit easier. Storage pits gradually gave way in favor of granaries and barns as well as the introduction of geared wheels to harness animal or water power to mills due to Roman influence.

The history of the plough, however, remains controversial. Even in earlier Belgic times, outside of the sphere of Roman influence, the native plough of the Gauls had been improved and later a heavier iron bar share and a coulter which cut the soil ahead of the share were introduced as well as a mould board, which could turn a furrow to one side or the other. Whatever the details, the effect was that heavier soils could now be exploited.

A bronze model survives which depicts a British ploughman preparing the ground for sowing grain. He is accompanied by his team of cattle and is very snugly dressed against the cold. Iron shears to shear sheep and manufacture cloth have also survived.

Archaeological evidence of Celtic farming is rather sparse but from such material as we do have, we know that in addition to cereal crops such as wheat and barley, the Celts also stocked cattle and swine and sheep. The evidence comes primarily from the debris of known excavated farmsteads. Since the land has been in use throughout the subsequent centuries, in many cases the ancient field systems have disappeared. But in the southern part of Britain, on the higher slopes of the chalk downs, field systems from the Late Bronze Age and the Iron Age have been preserved along with the house and cattle enclosures. This came about primarily because the land was abandoned for the richer soils found on the lower levels. Similar field systems have survived in western Denmark, an area not properly within the realm of the Celts.

In the older Celtic homelands, it is primarily through the recognition of excavations of the farmhouse and surrounding properties that can throw light on farming practices since the bulk of the evidence for ploughing and fields has disappeared over time.

Some say that the Romans improved Gaulic agriculture only indirectly - by improving roads, markets and administration and that agriculture itself did not advance much. It is true that the evidence does show that the Roman plough did not differ that much from the Celtic plough but it does appear that more Roman farmers were in the habit of using a plough as opposed to a spade or a hoe, therefore making better and more efficient use of existing tools. Tools and methods may not have improved much in Gaul, but then farming stayed basically the same until comparatively recently, when the internal combustion engine was introduced.