The fate of the economic networks of the port cities Portus, Marseille and Arles in the 5th century

• Autores: Gregor Utz
• Localización: Antiquité tardive: revue internationale d'histoire et d'archéologie, ISSN 1250-7334, Nº. 31, 2023 (Ejemplar dedicado a: La Méditerranée occidentale au Ve siècle), págs. 217-228
• Idioma: francés
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• Resumen

  • From a social, political, and economic point of view, port cities acted as crossroads for larger towns, entire regions, and provinces, making them an ideal object of study. This article examines the infrastructures and commercial networks of Portus, Marseilles, and Arles in the 5th century by analysing the preserved port structures and quantifying the pottery assemblages found in the port areas. The results show that the cities were able to respond to the various changes (political, hydrological) and played an active role in maintaining the functionality of their ports. Among other things, the new political situation of the 5th century influenced trade relations across the Mediterranean: certain contacts were abandoned, priorities were shifted, new direct links were established and commercial contacts within political boundaries were intensified. Each city developed its own strategy without withdrawing from the complex trade networks that spanned the entire Mediterranean.