Byzantine Trade, 4th-12th Centuries - 9780754663102

The 2004 Oxford symposium of Byzantine studies brought together experts from several countries. This study of Byzantine trade from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages grew from that conference. Mango (Byzantine archaeology, St. John's College, Oxford) has arranged the book by subtopics, rather than date. The first discusses the mapping of trade. One article is on maps themselves, although not ones likely to ever have been used by mariners. The other two describe the ways in which modern archaeologists map ancient trade through shipwrecks and alien pottery. The next section is on local trade, focusing on the objects of trade and their productions. The topic moves on to regional markets, including the distribution of wine, which involved both official documentation and amphorae found in shipwrecks. Many of the papers combine historical and archaeological research effectively. Luxury items such as glass and silk are traced across continents. The final section looks at trade by regions. By moving smoothly through the centuries from the fourth to the twelfth, the authors discover a continuity that has often been denied. Along with consistent trade in items such as spices, silk and metals, it may not surprise the reader to learn that there were always officials to collect the tariffs. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)