A recent study has brought to light interesting details about the distribution and consumption patterns of two of the most important wines in the eastern Mediterranean during Late Antiquity. These are Gaza wine and Cilician wine, two products that not only captivated the palates of the elites but also marked economic and cultural differences in the ancient world.
The analysis, based on fragments of late Roman amphorae found at multiple archaeological sites, reveals how these wines were transported throughout the Mediterranean between the 4th and 7th centuries CE and how their demand varied according to the social context.
Gaza wine, renowned for its high quality and its close association with the expansion of Christianity and monasticism in Palestine, was a luxury product intended for the wealthiest urban centers, such as Constantinople, Alexandria, or Ravenna.
In contrast, Cilician wine, produced on the coasts of Cilicia and Cyprus, was widely distributed and popular among Roman troops and in peripheral regions, due to its affordable price and its inclusion in military supplies.
The research, conducted by a team of experts in archaeology and classical studies, explains how the wine trade became a key economic driver for the producing regions and how religion and the economy shaped consumer preferences at the time.
Through the remains of LRA 1 amphorae (for Cilician wine) and LRA 4 amphorae (for Gaza wine), archaeologists have been able to reconstruct a detailed map of the wine trade in Antiquity, highlighting how Gaza wine, though less common than Cilician, was in higher demand in ecclesiastical and administrative contexts in the wealthiest cities of the Empire.
This discovery is crucial to understanding how the wine trade contributed to the economic rise of the Levant and the southern coast of Anatolia. The expansion of vineyards in Gaza and its surroundings was directly related to the proliferation of monastic communities, which not only cultivated the wine but also turned it into a key commodity in Mediterranean trade routes. The amphorae used to transport this wine have been found in important religious and administrative centers, reinforcing the theory that Gaza wine was intended for the elites and Christian liturgy.
On the other hand, Cilician wine, produced in greater quantities and at a lower cost, was a fundamental component of Roman military supplies. Its distribution reached even the border regions of the Danube, where it was consumed in large quantities by stationed troops. LRA 1 amphorae, used for its transport, have been found in large volumes in military fortresses, demonstrating that Cilician wine was an essential resource for the Roman army.
The study also notes that Gaza wine had a recognized quality throughout the Mediterranean, even compared to the best wines of the time. The authors emphasize how this wine, linked to the emerging Christian culture, attained a social stature that made it especially coveted in the highest circles of the Empire.
SOURCES
Kizhner, I., Gambash, G., Bar-Oz, G., & Avni, G. (2024). Distribution patterns of Gaza wine vs. Cilician wine in the eastern Mediterranean in Late Antiquity. Levant, 1–17. doi.org/10.1080/00758914.2024.2411109
- Share this article:
Discover more from LBV Magazine English Edition
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Qian Xuesen, the Scientist Expelled from the United States Who Brought China Into the Space Race
On October 31, 2009, an elderly man, nearly a century old, passed away in Beijing. His name was Qian Xuesen, and in China, he is considered a national hero for…
Farnese Atlas, the First Known Representation of the Celestial Sphere
Atlas was one of the Titans in Greek mythology, son of Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene, and brother of Prometheus. After the war against the Olympian gods, Zeus condemned him…
Orsippus of Megara, the First Athlete to Compete Naked in the Olympic Games
A quick glance at any artwork from Ancient Greece gives an idea of the almost religious importance of nudity, and if we interpret the images literally, how widespread its practice…
Sandby Borg, the Place where Archaeologists Found a Chilling Iron Age Scene Frozen in Time
The isolated island of Öland, off the southeastern coast of Sweden, holds within its windswept landscape the eroded remains of several fornborgs, circular stone fortifications built during the Iron Age.…
An Enigmatic Roman Altar Found in England Was Dedicated by a Soldier Stationed on the Danube, in a Legion That Was Never in Britain
A Roman altar dedicated to Mars, found in Marton, Lincolnshire, has revealed a fascinating connection to a soldier of the XI Claudia Legion of the Roman Empire. The altar, which…
Bybon, the Greek Athlete Who Lifted 143-Kilogram Stones with One Hand
Although his name doesn’t appear in epic tales or the legends of great heroes, a physical feat performed by an athlete in ancient Olympia has reached us thanks to an…
Spectacular Celtic Burial Chamber from the 6th Century BC Discovered in the Center of a 65-Meter-Diameter Burial Mound in Germany
In a remarkable archaeological discovery in the Danube Plain, near Riedlingen, Baden-Württemberg (Germany), an early Celtic burial chamber has come to light. This find is located at the center of…
Reliefs with Figures of Guardians, Celestial Ancestors, and Mythical Animals of the Kaanu’l Mayan Dynasty Found in Mexico
The recent archaeological discovery in the Dzibanché Archaeological Zone, Quintana Roo (Mexico), has provided new insights into the grandeur of the Kaanu’l dynasty, one of the most influential in the…
Lucone di Polpenazze, the Bronze Age pile-dwelling settlement that was preserved because a fire caused it to collapse into the lake
Located in the Lombardy region, near the impressive Lake Garda, the archaeological site of Lucone di Polpenazze is a living testament to Prehistory in northern Italy. This place, a large…
Sacred tunic of Alexander the Great identified in one of the Macedonian tombs at Vergina in Greece
A recent discovery in Tomb II at Vergina, Macedonia, Greece, has revealed what appears to be the sacred “chiton” or tunic of Alexander the Great, a finding that could change…
A House from 8,000 Years Ago Found in Serbia Belonged to the First Sedentary Farmers of Europe
Did the first agricultural societies in Europe live nomadically, or were they (seasonally) sedentary? How did sedentarism spread between Anatolia and Europe, and how did the first sedentary people influence…
New findings during the extraction of a Phoenician shipwreck in Spain, the most complete ancient vessel found in the Mediterranean Sea
The much-anticipated start of the extraction of the Phoenician shipwreck located in Mazarrón, Murcia, named Mazarrón 2—currently the most complete ancient ship found in the Mediterranean—has begun with a series…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
