The Importance of Trade in the Ancient World
The importance of trade in the Ancient World
In 1998 the Italian State Railway began the construction of a new regional headquarters near the city of Pisa when a forgotten treasure from the past was revealed from the depths of the Adriatic Sea. Rather than comprising golden coins and silver ornaments, this “treasure” is simply remains from shipwrecks. However, it represent one of the finest pieces of evidence for the trade in the ancient world with over 16 vessels ranging in date from the third century BC to the fifth century AD. Archaeologists have uncovered large timbers of the ships sunk near the harbour of Pisa together along with fragments of the cargo and the bones of the perished sailors.
Before proving my points regarding the importance of ancient trade, I would like to make some definitions clear. Trade essentially means the exchange of one good or service for another. In this respect the Greek ritual of xenia might be considered as trade because it involves exchange of gifts between host and guest. Trade also has many faces – it could be international, regional or local – and each one has its own unique role. However, in this essay I will be specifically referring to market trade as means to bring nations together.
The trade routes of the ancient world could be divided into two main groups: sea and land. Transporting goods by land was slow and expensive as large loads were pulled by lumbering oxen or in the case of horses and donkeys only lighter cargos could be transported. The shipments, on the other hand, were vulnerable to sea storms, pirates and poor navigational equipment and as seen in the Pisa example many ships did not reach their final destination.
Among the cargo of one of Pisa’s ships, archaeologists found Greco-Italian wine amphorae, Punic food amphorae and four thymiateria form North Africa, black glazed crockery from Volterra and two Iberian vases. The international freight of this ship is a mirror for the multinational face of trade.
In 1998 the Italian State Railway began the construction of a new regional headquarters near the city of Pisa when a forgotten treasure from the past was revealed from the depths of the Adriatic Sea. Rather than comprising golden coins and silver ornaments, this “treasure” is simply remains from shipwrecks. However, it represent one of the finest pieces of evidence for the trade in the ancient world with over 16 vessels ranging in date from the third century BC to the fifth century AD. Archaeologists have uncovered large timbers of the ships sunk near the harbour of Pisa together along with fragments of the cargo and the bones of the perished sailors.
Before proving my points regarding the importance of ancient trade, I would like to make some definitions clear. Trade essentially means the exchange of one good or service for another. In this respect the Greek ritual of xenia might be considered as trade because it involves exchange of gifts between host and guest. Trade also has many faces – it could be international, regional or local – and each one has its own unique role. However, in this essay I will be specifically referring to market trade as means to bring nations together.
The trade routes of the ancient world could be divided into two main groups: sea and land. Transporting goods by land was slow and expensive as large loads were pulled by lumbering oxen or in the case of horses and donkeys only lighter cargos could be transported. The shipments, on the other hand, were vulnerable to sea storms, pirates and poor navigational equipment and as seen in the Pisa example many ships did not reach their final destination.
Among the cargo of one of Pisa’s ships, archaeologists found Greco-Italian wine amphorae, Punic food amphorae and four thymiateria form North Africa, black glazed crockery from Volterra and two Iberian vases. The international freight of this ship is a mirror for the multinational face of trade.