Why did the economy Flourish in the East Mediterranean during late antiquity? roles of the silk route and spice route, LR1 amphorae, and other evidence from cilicia

Abstract

One question about the history of the East Mediterranean that still needs to be answeredconcerns the reasons underlying the economic vivacity observed during the Roman Imperialperiod and Late Antiquity. Clear answers have not yet been proposed for the noteworthydevelopments along the littoral of Anatolia, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. Some scholarsunderline the fact that the presence of Roman legions caused an increase in the volume ofproduction, thus giving significant stimulation to the economy. However, military campaignsdid not lead to the same level of development in every region.In Cilicia, developments observed from the late 4th to the early 7th centuries A.D. indicatesignificant economic vivacity and encompass important clues that may cast light onto thisquery. New settlements founded on the coastline of the region, the enormous increase in thenumber of agricultural farmsteads and rural settlements, and the increasing number of churchesbuilt can be listed as solid evidence for this economic vivacity. Beside these developments, theproduction of LR1 amphorae of Cilician origin, which are encountered almost at every point ofthe ancient world and date to the same time period, boomed.This outlook brings forth new questions. For instance, what is the reason for the increasein the production of amphorae, rural agricultural production and architectural developments?What is the commercial outlook in the region during the Early Byzantine period? Furthermore,how and through whom did the LR1 amphorae spread across such a wide geography?These positive developments observed in Cilicia are indeed an extension of developmentsacross the entire empire. Particularly in the centuries following the foundation ofConstantinopolis, trade volume increased overall across the empire, and the new capitalbecame a gigantic metropolis where all sorts of goods were marketed. In addition, regionsof the Balkans, Italy, South Spain and North Africa, formerly lost, were recaptured andreincorporated into the Byzantine Empire during the reign of Justinian.This vital period also witnessed a revival in the economy. A variety of goods from all overthe empire, and particularly the Far East, were sought after much more than before, especiallyto supply the demands of the armies and the populous capital Constantinopolis.Usually the Far East and the Mediterranean are perceived as geographies unrelated to eachother; however, there was an established connection between them dependent on trade. Thiscommerce via the Silk Route stands as one of the foremost reasons underlying the high level ofeconomic vivacity attested in the East Mediterranean and even in the entire empire during the5 th and 6th centuries.Among the goods brought from China and India were, above all, silk favored by thearistocracy, spices, cloves, pepper, musk, various aromas and precious gems as well as exoticproducts like the Chinese porcelain discovered in the 6th century. Silk particularly became astatus symbol starting in the Roman period and was acquired at very high prices.The land part of the Silk Route reached the Mediterranean and set off at sea from Antioch.The other important harbors were Tyre and Berytos. Another branch of the Silk Route followedthe sea starting from India and went around the Arabian Peninsula into the Red Sea. Themerchandise was unloaded at the harbor of Berenike from where it was transported toAlexandria via caravans or the Nile.The presence of Alexandria is a detail that will clarify the commercial activity in the EastMediterranean. Alexandria is the port city where the Spice Route coming from the Far Eastreached the Mediterranean. Following the foundation of Constantinopolis, the new capital wasthe main target market not only for the silk trade but also the spice trade because spices, justlike silk, were in high demand both at Rome and at Byzantium.This commercial outlook is an indicator that the East Mediterranean transformed into anenormous economic market. Trade centered on the littoral of Egypt, Syria and Phoenicia pavedthe way for the emergence of the most sensitive, the most important and the most intensivetrade route of Byzantium.In this period, except Antioch, Tyre and Berytos in the East Mediterranean, coastalsettlements on the way to wealthy metropolises like Tarsus, Anazarbos and Aegeai(Yumurtalık) in Cilicia were accorded a great opportunity. The harbors along the long coastlineof Cilicia especially became stops for the merchantmen going to the above-mentioned largemetropolises. Rural settlements in the hinterland of the Cilician harbors started to export theirproducts from these harbors. By selling them to these merchantmen, local products began tospread over a wide geographical area. LR1 amphorae are indeed an important evidence for thesituation.Merchants traveling across the entire ancient world for the trade of silk, cereals, preciousgems, porcelain and spices would have stopped at the Cilician harbors and bought the localproducts on their way to or from Syria and Phoenicia. This fortuitous route - one of the most(perhaps the most) important trade routes of the empire - created intensive trade circulationon the Cilician harbors along this route. It is also plausible to think that the ships on their wayto Antioch where the Silk Route reached the Mediterranean stopped at the Cilician harborsfor their own needs. Thus, the maritime merchants got acquainted with the local products ofCilicia, which boosted the production of wine, olive oil or other industrial products as well astheir imports.The foundation of Constantinopolis following the political crisis of the 3rd century can beconsidered the phase when the commercial contacts with the Far East started to intensify. Thatthe trade with the Far East was related to the coastal settlements of the East Mediterraneancan be proposed as