Sailing from Polis to Empire: Ships in the Eastern Mediterranean during the Hellenistic Period

Description

What can the architecture of ancient ships tell us about their capacity to carry cargo or to navigate certain trade routes? How do such insights inform our knowledge of the ancient economies that depended on maritime trade across the Mediterranean? These and similar questions lie behind Sailing from Polis to Empire, a fascinating insight into the practicalities of trading by boat in the ancient world. Allying modern scientific knowledge with Hellenistic sources, this interdisciplinary collection brings together experts in various fields of ship archaeology to shed new light on the role played by ships and sailing in the exchange networks of the Mediterranean. Covering all parts of the Eastern Mediterranean, these outstanding contributions delve into a broad array of data – literary, epigraphical, papyrological, iconographic and archaeological – to understand the trade routes that connected the economies of individual cities and kingdoms. Unique in its interdisciplinary approach and focus on the Hellenistic period, this collection digs into the questions that others don’t think to ask, and comes up with (sometimes surprising) answers. It will be of value to researchers in the fields of naval architecture, Classical and Hellenistic history, social history and ancient geography, and to all those with an interest in the ancient world or the seafaring life Contents Preliminary Notes Authors Preface Bibliography 1. The Hellenistic Merchantmen: A Contribution to the Study of the Mediterranean Economies Bibliography 2. Evolutions of the Representation of the Eastern Mediterranean in the Hellenistic Period 2.1. Granularity of Information 2.2. Distances and Maritime Experience 2.3. Seasonality of Weather Indications 2.4. Influence of Weather Conditions Over Navigation 2.5. Granularity and Quality of Information: The Problem of Salience 2.6. Salience and Visually Distinctive Features: The Case of Cape Pedalion 2.7. Conclusion Bibliography 3. Naval Architecture. The Hellenistic Hull Design: Origin and Evolution Bibliography 4. Naves Pingere: ‘Painting Ships’ in the Hellenistic Period 4.1 Naval Issues Before the Reign of Alexander 4.2. Ship Painters 4.3. Conclusion Bibliography Primary Sources Manuscripts Literary sources Ceramic sources Secondary Sources 5. The Rise of the Tonnage in the Hellenistic Period 5.1. The Sources 5.2. An Initial Rise in the First Part of the Second Century? 5.3. A Second Rise from the End of the Second Century to the Beginning of the First Century? 5.4. The Common Reasons for the Two Increases 5.5. Conclusion Bibliography Primary Sources Literary Sources Inscriptions Papyri Archaeological Excavations Secondary Sources 6. A Note on the Navigation Space of the Baris-Type Ships from Thonis-Heracleion 6.1. Main Characteristics of the Baris as per Herodotus and New Archaeological Data 6.2. Navigation Area of the Baris-Type Ships 6.2.1. Written Sources 6.2.2. Context of Ships from Thonis-Heracleion 6.2.3. Direct Evidence from Ships’ Construction 6.2.4. Reconstruction of the Hull: Supplementary Data 6.2.5. Longitudinal Structure 6.2.6. Shallow Draft 6.2.7. Stability 6.2.8. Reconstruction of Steering and Propulsion Systems 6.2.9. The Particular Case of Ship 17 from Thonis-Heracleion 6.2.10. Traces of Shipworms? 6.2.11. Keel’s Erosion? 6.3. Conclusions Bibliography Literary Sources Secondary Sources List of Tables and Illustrations Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Index