Mediterranean Sea Trade
Jenn Forcillo, Ally DeForge, Amanda Karp, Cera Paslawsky
THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA
-The Mediterranean Sea was vital for merchants and travelers of
ancient times because it allowed for easy trade and exchange of cultures
and their beliefs.
-the Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean
surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely
enclosed by land : north of it is Anatolia and Europe, South of it is North
Africa, and East is Levant.
What was the Mediterranean Sea Lane?
-Helps to connect the areas around the Mediterranean Sea.
-Traders in the Mediterranean uses ships with square sails and
oars, while Indian Ocean sails were triangular sails and had no
oars.
-Unlike trade along the silk road, Mediterranean trade was made
completely of middle men
What was traded along the Sea Lane?
-wine
-ivory
-olive oil
-Copper ingots
-weapons
-Perishable Goods {food,
textiles, slaves, animal skins}
-crafted goods
-amber
-Raw materials {iron, lead, tin,
silver}
Technologies of the Mediterranean Sea Lanes
Technologies of the Mediterranean Sea Lanes
Advances in navigation (geographical,
astronomical, and cosmographical advances)
The Mediterranean typically exported animal skins, precious metals,
and exotic African animals for Asian zoos in return for spice and art.
The Silk Road was probably the main trade route that goods were
transported to and from the Mediterranean Sea.
AP World Themes
The Mediterranean sea lanes connect the people, empires
and civilizations of North Africa, Asia, and Europe
through trade. Being that it is almost completely
enclosed in land, the Mediterranean affects the vast
amount of land it is surrounded by.
The five themes of AP World relate to the trade network of
the Mediterranean Sea and its large umbrella of areas it
trades with.
AP World Themes
AP World Theme 1-Interaction between humans and the environment
-
●
The Mediterranean Sea is quite large, and on trade routes, multiple stops were
made at different places, leading to settlement in and migration towards these
areas. Also, the long journeys across the sea aided in the technological advances
in regards to ships and navigation
AP World Theme 2- Development and Interaction of cultures
-
Although trade routes were designed for the exchange of goods and materials
they became a way to share religion, ideas, languages, art, science, and
technology. Specifically Alexander The Great’s spread of Greek knowledge and
ideas throughout the Mediterranean region.
AP World Themes
AP World Theme 3-State-building and forms of government
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●
While the Mediterranean is connected to many civilizations, and has a variety of
different forms of government, the most notorious battles over government in the
region were the Punic Wars. The Roman Empire was considered to rule the trade
networks that went through the Mediterranean, but had to fight against Carthage
for full control.
AP World Theme 4- Creation, expansion, and interaction of economic systems
-
Each society, empire, or civilizations that took part in the trade network produced
or had different materials or goods, creating a system of supply and demand.Soon
it expanded, reaching all and around it, making it’s way into Africa and connecting
with the Silk Road to reach far east. Ivory, spices, slaves, wine, weapons and many
other materials were traded, and expanded the economic system of the
AP World Themes
AP World Theme 5-Development and transformation of social structures
-
As trade increased along the Mediterranean sea lanes, so did demand. Increasing
the need for a work force, or in some societies, slaves. Social classes were
created by having a merchant class, a working class, slaves, and the aristocratic
class who owned the land or goods.
Historiographical Perspective
Although Immanuel Wallerstein’s World-Systems Theory focuses on the times of 1460 and
on, his historiographical perspective can be adopted to fit the Mediterranean sea lanes.
Wallerstein divides the world into core countries, semi-periphery countries, and and
periphery countries. The core countries revolve around higher skill and capital intensive
production. Wallerstein defines his world system “as a unit with a single division of
labor and multiple cultural systems”, some characteristics of a core country are
economically diversified, extensive bureaucracy, and powerful militaries. Although the
Mediterranean trade routes connect many different places, it was often controlled by
one central empire, mainly the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire fits all the
characteristics given and represents the Mediterranean sea lanes in regards to the
trade and economic system of Rome, and so it falls under Wallerstein’s World-Systems
Theory.
Periodization
One time period that the Mediterranean Sea Trade takes place during
is the Byzantine Empire, which occurred from the 4th C.E. to 1453.
The Mediterranean Sea Trade allowed Byzantine to flourish because
of its location on the Mediterranean.
Europe was linked to the IOT through the Mediterranean Sea Trade
between 600 C.E. and 1450.
Significance and Importance
- Friedrich Hegel said about the Mediterranean: "For the three quarters of the
globe, the Mediterranean Sea is similarly the uniting element and the centre of
World History."
- The trade route lead to cultural diffusion and cross cultural exchange.
Specifically through Rome and Greece trading with China and India.
- It was unique and had a larger importance because it connected three
continents; Africa, Asia, and Europe. Most of the Western population was
centered around this trade route.
- It also allowed products of Asia to pass into Europe.
Significance and Importance
- Large civilizations were able to flourish. It was a highway for merchants from
phoenicia, carthage, greece, sicily, and rome (who called it Mare Nostrum).
Rome had dominicane during their golden age. The trade route led to a rivalry
for power and dominance. After Rome’s dominance, the Byzantine empire and
the Arabs had control.
- Along with opening trade and creating cultural diffusion, it created conflicts and
tension between societies.