The Back Sea and the Mediterranean. Tracing regional and interregional networks in Roman times - teacher: Diana Dobreva (University of Verona, Italy) This course will address a wide range of issues concerning the economic exchanges that took place within the
Black Sea region, and between the Black Sea, the Lower Danube territory and the Mediterranean areas from about
Late Hellenistic to Late Roman times. For thus will be considered old and new evidence in order to shed light on
central aspects of the economic relationship that existed between these eminently important regions in Antiquity. It
will be offered novel approaches and propound a number of fresh interpretations to key questions concerning the
relationship between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. The overarching question is whether the Black Sea
and the Mediterranean were organically linked and thus complemented each other in economic terms. Special
attention will be paid on pottery containers, amphorae, as these are our most important source for the transport of
commodities by ship in the ancient world. The Black Sea region forms an ideal background for a study of a central
aspect of the ancient economy: the relation between regional and interregional trade and exchange. The course
will analyse, through using amphorae as key-evidences, the phenomena that controlled trading networks, and
long-distance maritime routes in particular, since these would have been conditioned by political and economic
evolutions. Evidence from various sources will be used to map what we know about the distribution of wine, oil and
fish sauces, in particular in two specific regions: the western coast of the Black Sea and the Lower Danube territory.
After analysing some regional contexts, wider view in distribution patterns will be considered. The students will be
asked to reflect on a number of issues, which include: Different types of sources and methodological approaches;
What are the goods and/or services that are being exchanged with nearby or distant commercial partners? Can
these exchanges be expressed quantitatively (i.e. volume and value of imports and exports)? How did the wealth
generated thereby affect the public and private sectors? Is it possible to detect improvements in transport
technology and in trade infrastructure? Is it possible to map out relatively stable or shifting partnerships? What
might be the factors conditioning these partnerships in the short and long run? To what degree do politics and
imperial structures affect economic processes?
Topics covered include: the geography, climate and vocation of the territory; the economic impact of technological
progress; agricultural specialisation and investment: especially the local wine, oil and fish sauce industry; the use
of ceramic data to illuminate trading patterns; the interpretation of shipwreck evidence; the effect of ancient
transport technologies on the distribution of goods; urban crafts and the involvement of elites in trading activities.
The course has different schedule - it will be taught in two blocks, one in December, another one in January, always on Tuesdays and Fridays from 14:10 to 17:30 in Celetna 20, First meeting is in front of the Room 343C (3rd floor, Institute for Classical Archaeology) The days of classes are: December 4th December 7th December 11th December 14th January 4th January 8th January 11th