The Rise of Wine among Ancient Civilizations across the Mediterranean Basin (original) (raw)
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Roman and Late Antique Wine Production in the Eastern Mediterranean
Archaeopress, 2020
This book is devoted to the viticulture of two settlements, Antiochia ad Cragum and Delos, using results stemming from surface survey and excavation to assess their potential integration within the now well-known agricultural boom of the 5th-7th centuries AD. Interdisciplinary and ethnographic data supplements the main archaeological catalogue and provides a rounded understanding of production and use. The publication of an excavated viticultural vat in Rough Cilicia for the first time, along with the first complete discussion of the viticultural industry on Delos in Late Antiquity, underscores the significance of this book. The combined catalogue, analysis and discussion reinforce the noteworthy position viticulture held in Late Antiquity as an agricultural endeavour, socio-cultural and economic factor engrained within eastern Mediterranean settlements.
Wine and Institutions in the Ancient World - International conference, Ghent 7-8 December
2023
Attendance is free, but for practical reasons we ask to register using the following link: https://event.ugent.be/registration/WIAW While the conference is in the first place a physical gathering, some of the talks are virtual and the event can also be followed online via Teams. Those interested in online attendance can register on the dedicated Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wine-and-institutions-in-the-ancient-world-tickets-759557515977 Registered participants will receive the team links for both days on December 6. Conference theme Wine was deeply embedded in ancient Mediterranean societies at all levels, especially in the Greco-Roman world. It was the beverage of choice for the wealthy and the poor, the most important intoxicant in the ancient world and a major source of calories in the daily diet. Wine was universally used in ceremony and medicine, and its drinking equivalent to civilized socio-cultural behavior. This put wine on the tables of all classes and kinds of people, from the common man to the emperor, from slaves to citizens, from military men to civilians, and from pagan to believer. This widespread and profound importance of wine in ancient societies and economies made it the object of recurrent and widespread exploitation and control by various institutions, including first the ruling elites, states and legal bodies - e.g., in trade and provisioning by statal supply mechanisms (cf. the Roman annona or the Greek polis), in agriculture through the presence of rural government-owned estates, and in legislation by giving privileges or tax reliefs to producers and traders - but also religious organizations (e.g., productions connected to temples, churches, monasteries, etc.) and both civilian and military associations in town and country. This conference explores how wine was produced, traded, and consumed within these kinds of institutional frameworks in the ancient Mediterranean, in East and West, and from Classical to Late Antiquity. The conference also hosts a keynote lecture by Jon Seligman on The wine presses and kilns of Yavne – technology, quantification and the terroir of Gaza and Ashqelon. Jon was originally planning to give his lecture in Ghent, but due to the terrible turn of events, he will be joining us online to discuss his important and fascinating work.
The paper presents the dynamics of import of wine to Egypt and the origins of vintages that arrived to the Nile Valley in the Graeco-Roman period. The development of a market for imported wine was a phenomenon characteristic for this period in Egypt's history. Upon arrival of Alexander the Great, wine in Egypt was for the gods and aristocracy and the traditional beverage of the Nile Valley was beer, but through the ages it was wine that became the staple drink of the Egyptian population. Demand for wine increased as a result of Hellenic immigration and dietary Hellenization of the local population. Even though viticulture in Egypt had traditions dating back to the Old Kingdom, local supply could not meet the growing demand and wine was imported throughout the Graeco-Roman period. The origin of the foreign wines changed over time. It can be traced based on three types of evidence: literary sources, amphora finds, and papyrus documents. The analysis of data obtained from them permits to make a catalogue of imported wines available in Egypt and to place the Nile Valley in a broader perspective of Mediterranean trade routes. The factors that seem to have exerted some influence on wine import are Egypt’s trading traditions, foreign policy and geo-political situation. In Egypt of the 3rd century BC, wine from several locations is attested in both documentary and archaeological sources. Imported wine came primarily from the Aegean, as well as Crete and Cyprus. Early import of wines from Italy is also attested through ceramic evidence. The evidence from the turn of the 3rd and 2nd century BC reflects two general trends in wine commerce: the disappearance of some of the ‘old’ vintages and the increase of popularity of wines of Kos, Rhodes and Knidos. The rise of the Roman Empire triggered more changes in the Mediterranean trade routes. The successful development of vineyards in some newly created Roman provinces also resulted in export of their wines as far as Egypt. When Egypt itself became a part of the Roman state, it was integrated into the Empire’s trade network. The annexation of Egypt resulted in greater communication and interaction between this province and the West and its ports became stepping stones on eastbound wine trade routes. Later on, the division of the Roman Empire into the East and West parts triggered further significant changes in the wine trade network. Supply from the West was limited and new routes were established within the Eastern part of the Mediterranean. Key words: Egypt, wine, import, trade, papyri, amphorae
2017
Wine was an ever-present commodity that permeated the Mediterranean throughout antiquity; in particular, settlements in the eastern Mediterranean produced substantial quantities of wine for a variety of uses in Late Antiquity. This study devotes itself to the viticulture of two such settlements, Antiochia ad Cragum and Delos, and uses the results of surface survey and excavation to elucidate their potential integration within the agricultural boom of the 5th-7th centuries CE. Interdisciplinary and ethnographic data supplements the main archaeological catalogue in order to provide a well-rounded understanding of production and use. The publication of an excavated vinicultural vat in Rough Cilicia for the first time, along with the first complete discussion of the paleochristian viticultural industry on Delos, underscores the importance of this project. The bulk of the thesis is devoted to a catalogue of individual vinicultural installations from each site, which includes a detailed analysis and description of their architecture and features. This emphasises the significant quantity of data that such individual analyses can reveal, in terms of construction methods, spatial setting, regional habits in press design and wine production. The remaining chapters combine archaeological features with interdisciplinary data situated within a broad discussion to interpret production at these settlements. This demonstrates how such data can be extrapolated and combined with related evidence to illuminate trends regarding agricultural production, viticultural quantification, religious habits, regional interconnectivity, trade and the economy. The combined catalogue, analysis and discussion reinforce the noteworthy position viticulture held in Late Antiquity as an agricultural endeavour, socio-cultural and economic factor engrained within eastern Mediterranean settlements.
The Phoenicians and the Spread of Wine in the Central West Mediterranean
In this paper, i aim at assessing the role and influence phoenicians had in the spread of both viticulture and wine production across the Mediterranean basin from the early i millennium bc onwards. Firstly, i will focus on the relevant evidence from the syro-palestinian area between the late bronze Age and early iron Age, paying particular attention to the coastal strip where the main phoenician sites developed. then, by taking into account the most significant archaeological contexts and drawing on archaeometric analyses, i will outline the basic stages through which phoenicians brought wine across many areas of the Mediterranean basin. particular focus will be on the island of sardinia, which was reached at an early stage by tyrian ships and was a trade nodal point between the tyrrhenian coasts of italian peninsula and those of southern iberia. i will specifically explore relations with etruscan and latin élite by focusing on the main burial evidence showing precious wine sets along with phoenician amphorae which were either locally produced or made in western phoenician colonies. At the same time, i will also draw attention both on the early relations between phoenicians and tartessian élite in the Huelva area in southern iberia, and wine consumption among eastern iberian peoples throughout the 8th century bc.
Vinum Nostrum: Art, Science and Myths of Wine in Ancient Mediterranean Cultures
2010
Ancient and precious original artefacts, sculptures and frescoes, along with dramatic reconstructions and films, give an account of the multi-millennial history of the grapevine and wine as well as their influence on Mediterranean cultures. The exhibition covers the period from the origins of viticulture in the Near East to its full reception in ancient Greece, ending with large-scale wine production and trade in the Roman world. Special emphasis is given to the Pompeii vineyards, while another part of the exhibition deals with the Etruscan contribution to the spread of Vitis vinifera cultivation throughout the Mediterranean area. The exhibition illustrates the technical evolution of grape-growing and wine-making as well as the relevant religious and cultural values expressed since ancient times through a number of depictions of divinities, rituals, and feasts.
The wine in the Mediterranean culture. An approach through proverbs
First, we offer a short review about the wine in history, and its importance in the economy, and above all in culture and religion of the Mediterranean countries. Proverbs related to wine in Romance languages are part of that culture. We review some of the topics related to wine in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian and Romanian. Proverbs about wine deal with wine itself as an alcoholic drink, or deal with the wine as a symbol. We offer examples of both aspects.