Nodes and Hubs: Berenike and Thessaloniki.: A Comparative Study of Ancient Trade Networks (300 BCE - CE 700)

In this thesis, the trade activities of two port sites, Berenike in Egypt and Thessaloniki in Greece, from their respective founding (275 BCE for Berenike and 316 BCE for Thessaloniki) until the early Byzantine era (~C.E. 700) have been researched through a comparative analysis. Both sites were important nodes in the trade networks of the ancient world, Berenike serving as a transit port between the areas of the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean, and Thessaloniki focusing more on the creation, export, and import of luxury goods. While research into these networks has been growing in popularity in recent years, there has been a distinct lack of variables that can be used to identify nodes and hubs. The development of a set of variables is an important step in identifying these key features of ancient trade networks and will contribute towards a more complete understanding of complex systems like this. Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to investigate, identify, and codify a set...Show moreIn this thesis, the trade activities of two port sites, Berenike in Egypt and Thessaloniki in Greece, from their respective founding (275 BCE for Berenike and 316 BCE for Thessaloniki) until the early Byzantine era (~C.E. 700) have been researched through a comparative analysis. Both sites were important nodes in the trade networks of the ancient world, Berenike serving as a transit port between the areas of the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean, and Thessaloniki focusing more on the creation, export, and import of luxury goods. While research into these networks has been growing in popularity in recent years, there has been a distinct lack of variables that can be used to identify nodes and hubs. The development of a set of variables is an important step in identifying these key features of ancient trade networks and will contribute towards a more complete understanding of complex systems like this. Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to investigate, identify, and codify a set of variables that can be used for this express purpose. The variables were identified through a comparative analysis using the aforementioned port sites as case studies, taking an interdisciplinary approach, using sources like excavation reports, relevant literature, and museum exhibitions to create a clear picture. The theoretical framework applied to this research is Network theory, initially I intended to use Globalization theory but found that the latter did not fit the research as well as the former. This process resulted in the identification of five variables – diversity in religion, local material, non-local material, production centers, and warehouses – highlighting the importance of both ports, while at the same time not shying away from their differences. While most of the results were expected like Berenike having the transit of goods as its main objective, an unexpected result is that it seems likely that Thessaloniki took part in extra-Mediterranean trade before the Byzantine era, and thus earlier than previously assumed.Show less

Leiden University Student Repository

Documents

In Collections

Nodes and Hubs: Berenike and Thessaloniki. A Comparative Study of Ancient Trade Networks (300 BCE - CE 700)