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Book Cover
E-book
Author Marzano, Annalisa, 1969-

Title Harvesting the sea : the exploitation of marine resources in the Roman Mediterranean / Annalisa Marzano
Published Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2013

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Description 1 online resource (xvi, 365 pages) : illustrations (black and white)
Series Oxford studies on the Roman economy
Oxford studies on the Roman economy.
Contents Fishing -- Large-scale fishing -- Fish salting -- Salt -- Murex, purple dye, and other 'fruits of the sea' -- Oysters and other shellfish -- Aquaculture -- Fishing and Roman law -- Demand, prices and distribution
Summary This book provides a systematic treatment of the exploitation of marine resources (e.g., large-scale fishing, fish salting, salt production, aquaculture, purple dye manufacturing), in the Roman world and their role within the ancient economy. Bringing together literary, epigraphic, and legal sources, and archaeological data, the book shows that these marine resources were an important feature of the Roman economy and, in scope and market-oriented production, paralleled phenomena taking place in the Roman agricultural economy on land. The book offers an overview of fishing gear and techniques used in antiquity, and examines the importance of technological innovations and organization of labour. By looking at the legal sources alongside the archaeological and historical data, the book highlights cases when the Roman legal framework was used in defence of sea-related economic interests against competitors for the same natural resource. In addition to discussing the development in culinary taste for seafood and the social and symbolic value certain kinds of fresh fish could have, the book also discusses evidence for prices of fresh fish, transport, and distribution. The general conclusions reached by the book are that marine resources could have a notable role in the local and regional economies and that their exploitation was supported by a sophisticated organization, in terms of production, labour, and distribution of the products
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes Online resource; title from home page (viewed on August 26, 2013)
Subject Fisheries -- Mediterranean Sea
Fishing -- Rome
Marine resources -- Rome
Economic history
Fishing
Marine resources
Anthropology.
Agriculture.
Earth & Environmental Sciences.
Social Sciences.
Animal Sciences.
Manners & Customs.
SUBJECT Rome -- Economic conditions. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85115102
Subject Rome (Empire)
Genre/Form History
Form Electronic book
ISBN 9780191757167
0191757160