Trade

__6. Pompeii and Herculaneum: Trade__

Because of the area's natural resources, trade flourished and the standard of living was raised. Pompeii developed its luxury services, trade with foreign countries and agricultural produce.

As Rome itself became more well-off, its wealthy citizens looked to Pompeii and the Gulf of Naples as a relaxing vacation area usaully a place to put theire summer houses (because rome got so hot in the summer and there were many mosquitos). The shoreline of the Gulf became host to the splendid country houses of the most powerful people in the world, including emperors, court personages, and Roman aristocracy. Pompeii didn’t have a whole lot of extensive trade to places like Asia and sothern Africa but their items were found all about the Roman empire.


 * < **Description of Trade** ||< **Evidence to prove** ||
 * < * Pompeii and Herculaneum and was a center for trade in crops, wine, fish sauce (G//arrum,// which was mainly sold to France, some was taken from Spain., and olive oil it was their main source of import. Perfume was also traded.


 * At Pompeii there is evidence of a substantial olive oil industry. the fields had a lot of Olive trees.


 * Wool and textile production was another important industry of the Vesuvius area.


 * Written sources tell us that the production of fruit and vegetables were important and helped the local economy. The volcanic soils were especially fertile and suited to growing cabbage and onions.


 * in ancient times the plains of Mt. Versuvuis was seen as one large Vineyard. The Campanian region was famous for its wine, which was exported to Rome, southern France, Spain and North Africa. The wine was known for its potency rather than its flavour. ||< * Pots have been found in France, Spain, main traders were in Spain Crete and Cecily). Archaeological evidence uncovered along the waterfront in the 1980s indicates that the main industry of Herculaneum was fishing.


 * Oil presses for extracting oil from green olives were found in houses in Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as in villas located in the fields around Mount Vesuvius. This would imply that an abundance of flowers were grown in the area and is supported by Florus’s comment in Source 1.2 that, ** ‘Spring comes with its flowers twice a year.’ **


 * Archaeological and written evidence shows that Pompeii was a regional centre for cloth making and dyeing. Sheep were bred in the Vesuvius area and Seneca mentions that a flock of 600 sheep was killed by the earthquake of 62  AD


 * At Pompeii, election posters mention local market gardeners and greengrocers who were running for public office, so they must have been important people!


 * Pliny the Elder wrote that, ‘**It has been observed that wines from Pompeii are rather dangerous as they may cause a headache which lasts till noon on the following day’**, ||

Pucci’s study (1977) of over 1,600 bowls were found. 29% of them were discovered to be of Campanian origin, 35% Italian, 23% were manufactured in the eastern Mediterranean areas, 12% were found on Gaul and a significant number were of African origin.

some interesting pictures: [|wine press] [|2 Man Olive Press] [|Bay of Naples]

By Hana, Renee and Georgina!