1st Edition
Trade, Transport and Society in the Ancient World (Routledge Revivals) A Sourcebook
This book, first published in 1992, presents an introduction to the nature of trade and transport in antiquity through a selection of translated literary, papyrological, epigraphical and legal sources. These texts illustrate a range of aspects of ancient trade and transport: from the role of the authorities, to the status of traders, to the capacity and speed of ancient ships.
It is clear that the actual means of transportation were crucial; the book illustrates the limitations of ancient transport technology and the consequences for the development of commerce. It focuses first on different aspects of transport over land and then on transport by river and concludes with a discussion of several aspects of ancient seafaring,
This book is ideal for students of ancient history.
Preface; Acknowledgements; Measures, weights and coins; List of abbreviations; Part 1: Ideology and Practice of Ancient Trade 1. Greek and Roman values 2. Forms of exchange in Homeric society 3. Forms of exchange in archaic Greece 4. Athens and the Athenian Empire 5. The Greek world outside Athens 6. Egypt under the Ptolemies 7. Trade in the Roman World; Part 2: The Commodities 8. Grain 9. Wool and textiles 10. Wine and oil 11. Building materials 12. Slaves 13. Trade with the Orient and the Barbarians; Part 3: Transport and Means of Transportation 14. The costs of ancient transport 15. Transport over land 16. The roads 17. River transport 18. Transport by sea 19. Construction 20. The sailing season 21. The hazards of the sea 22. Speed and duration of sea voyages 23. Harbours; Select bibliography; Index of passages cited; General index
Biography
Van Nijf, Onno; Meijer, Fik
