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Phoenician trading empire
The phoenician empire
Commerce and trade in Middle Ages Europe
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In the book “The Great Sea”, author David Abulafia goes thru the history of the Mediterranean. Trade starts in one place and will link to other civilizations in the Mediterranean. When the Capsian culture began to travel by sea, it did not start out with the concept of trade, but as a necessity to collect raw materials required for tools. At that time, no one claimed ownership of the materials, so trade was not an issue. It was not until the Neolithic period when evidence of trade could be seen where Neolithic cultures eventually had obsidian brought in from Anatolian area. This happened around the 8th millennium and was the start of actual trade in the Mediterranean. During the Copper and Bronze ages, most trading was done for …show more content…
During the tenth century BCE, Phoenician cities became great centers of trade and a major commercial presence. Greeks in Sicily and southern Italy were enthusiastic users of coins, so the Carthaginians began to mint coins to better facilitate trade with them. Metals were still the major trade of Phoenicians in the Mediterranean, perhaps since the first known base of the Phoenicians was close to copper rich Cyprus, near Larnaka in the ninth century. This was an important period for the Italian lands which early Greek traders and settlers traveled through and also for their home nations that grew as centers of trade. As Euboian cities subsided to more minor roles, Corinth dominated trade traffic, sending large numbers of their fine vases westward and bringing back food and raw materials. The Phoenicians overseas became busier traders than the Phoenicians of the Levant. As well, the far west Euboians extended their trading by linking Syria, Rhodes, Ionia and Corinth to Pithekoussai. Pithekoussai citizens were traders, craftsmen and craftswomen. Because of trade, the character of the eastern Mediterranean was changed as Egyptians began their expeditions along the Red Sea trading in ivory and ebony. More trade networks were created by the eighth century bringing Eastern culture to Etruria and southern Spain. Communities of merchants extended trade between Greece and Italy. Fifth
At this point their beliefs were that trade was not only beneficial to society, but necessary. However throughout this time, many people still continued to be weary of the validity of merchants, like St. Thomas Aquinas. Also, throughout this time span, trade never disappeared and neither did merchants. Islamic peoples believed trade had once been very amazing and positively impactful. However recently the trade had been mishandled and led to crooked merchants and sales. This change over time from positive views to negative opinions shows the development of ideas in Islamic society. However, those opinions were constantly changing. Like Christians, the importance of trade never disappeared. For both Christians and Muslims, trade was perpetually crucial to the economy. In order to better analyze these documents, it would be helpful to have a historic document from Christian and Muslim commoners. In the document they would discuss their views on merchants and trade. This would be beneficial because the documents are only from high officials in their societies and does not display the other
The Phoenicians were a tranquil society that chose a lifestyle of peace and mutual wealth over war and conquest; a trait that was out of place in the violent and war-stricken ancient world, but undoubtedly lead to their ultimate success and prosperity. The Phoenicians were a unique and diverse culture that made many developments and advancements in the ancient world, particularly in the development of sea travel – creating ships that could travel farther and faster than any other ships of the time period – craftsmanship in the form of speciality dyes using advanced techniques as well as the creation of blown glass, and the advancements in the trade system by mainly exporting products that were created with an intended buyer in mind.
Across the Indian Ocean, from 650- 1750 C.E., commerce had many changes and continuities. Trade along this route stayed the same with its spread of goods from one place to another, but changed because of the ways goods were traded along this trade route. Ships were still the main mode of transportation however they were made differently. However, countries that traded in the Indian Ocean expanded while African countries still traded heavily. The Islamic Empire and some European counties controlled much of the trade.
McCormick concurs that there was a drop in trade in the beginning of the seventh century but by the second half of the seventh century trading in places like the North Sea was a bustling place of trade. He continues to support his theory on the quick reemergence of trade through a series of documents that show by the middle of the eight-century there were at least six new ways to reach the Middle East. If trade is stagnated by Islam why is there a development of new trade routes? For McCormick the answer is simple, trade is booming.
There were many things that were continuities in the Indian Ocean Basin. One major continuity in the commerce of the Indian Ocean Basin was the emergence and use of the same trade routes for both imports and exports of goods. Another continuity was the goods being traded during this time period. The goods being traded included gold, ivory, and iron. These were major exports from Africa due to the profit that came from exporting these materials. Also, the way that the traders traveled was tradition. The sailors on the trade routes used the monsoon winds to help sail their ships.
In 6000 BC farming and irrigation were on the rise. Since there was little rain in Southern Mesopotamia they created irrigation which lead farmers to settle in Southern Mesopotamia. With the large increase in population in Southern Mesopotamia, things quickly changed. There were new inventions and ideas, which led to the exchange of those inventions and ideas- known as trade.
Because the Indian Ocean was one of the most important sea area to conduct import and export activities, traders relied on the area very much, a situation lasting hundreds of years. Also, due to the regularity of mansoon in summer and winter and currents, certain routes were agreed to be the most efficient ways from one place to another. In business, it is huge important to minimize the costs. Therefore, traders from various places utilized the same trade routes. Merchants arrived at one places and sold the goods and purchased the local productions. Even European traders in the seventeenth and eighteenth century utilized these routes as
During the Archaic Age of Ancient Greece, circa 776-500 B.C.E., the population growth in Ancient Greece called a need for more food supplies, and this demand was met by trade, establishing colonies, and by warfare to seize more land (Making Europe 71). According to Kidner, the Archaic Age “brought a revival of culture, the economy, and political significance to Greece” (71). As Greece began to overpopulate, methods for dealing with the overpopulation had to be found, once of these methods was to import food, which caused an expansion of Greek commerce and production of trade goods (Making Europe 71). Another solution to the overpopulation of Greece was to find new land somewhere else, and during the colonization that lasted from 750-550 B.C.E., Greeks colonized coastal cities because they wanted access to trade routes across the sea (Making Europe 71). The revival of Greek trade also brought Near Eastern culture into Greece, including new styles or art. According to Kidner, “Greek sculpture assumed a very Egyptian look, and Greek pottery depicted many eastern designs…and Greek potters and sculptors soon used designs from their own myths and legents”
and established Carthage, and it became the new center of Phoenician trade. From a small town, the
Trade in the Indian Ocean region facilitated the spread of goods, technology, and ideas; the span of Indian Ocean trade reached from Southeast Africa and across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia, including Southwest Asia, India, and China along the way. From 650 C.E. to 1750 C.E., commerce in the Indian Ocean region changed in terms of who was involved and the technology that was developed, but the items traded remained the same.
of gold and silver coins. The prosperity that existed within the Hellenistic age was mainly
From the Muslims these traders purchased flavors, sugar, fabric and cotton. Different shippers from Sicily and Aragorn exchanged for Tunisian gold, and Algerian fleece and creature skins. Well known products exchanged from the Middle East were sugar, melons, cotton, ultramarine color and damask material. Despite the fact that a large portion of the exchanged products originated from the Middle East, the consolidated endeavors from both East and West brought
Comparing and Contrasting the Manorial Trade Network, the Indian Ocean Trade Network, and the Trans-Saharan Trade Network
of a boy named Tom. In this story Tom gives a recount of the past
In the story "The Open Boat," by Stephen Crane, Crane uses many literary techniques to convey the stories overall theme. The story is centered on four men: a cook, a correspondent, Billie, an oiler who is the only character named in the story, and a captain. They are stranded in a lifeboat in stormy seas just off the coast of Florida, just after their ship has sunk. Although they can eventually see the shore, the waves are so big that it is too dangerous to try to take the boat in to land. Instead, the men are forced to take the boat further out to sea, where the waves are not quite as big and dangerous. They spend the night in the lifeboat and take turns rowing and then resting. In the morning, the men are weak and exhausted. The captain decides that they must try to take the lifeboat as close to shore as possible and then be ready to swim when the surf inevitably turns the boat over and throws the men into the cold sea. As they get closer to land a big wave comes and all the men are thrown into the sea. The lifeboat turns over and the four men must swim into shore. There are rescuers waiting on shore who help the men out of the water. Strangely, as the cook, captain and correspondent reach the shore safely and are helped out of the water, they discover that, somehow, the oiler has drowned after being smashed in the surf by a huge wave. (255-270) “The Open Boat’s” main theme deals with a character’s seemingly insignificant life struggle against nature’s indifference. Crane expresses this theme through a suspenseful tone, creative point of view, and a mix of irony.