Sinop Müzesi’nden Bir Grup Roma Amphorası Üzerinden MÖ 1. Yüzyıl - MS 7. Yüzyıl Arası Karadeniz Ticaretine Genel Bir Bakış / A General Overview of the Black Sea Trade between the 1st Century BC and the 7th Century AD through a Group of Roman Amphoras from the Sinop Museum

Abstract

This article aims to evaluate the commercial interaction of the Black Sea region through the distribution of amphorae by typological study of imported amphoras dating back to the Roman imperial period. The 35 imported commercial amphorae from the Roman period, recovered from the sea or foundation excavations and purchased by the Sinop Museum, are indicators of the commercial potential of the Black Sea coast and the chronological importance of this potential. It is very important to trace the commercial activity and maritime trade routes of the Black Sea coast in the ancient period through the amphora finds examined in this article. Publication of the amphorae in Turkish museums is essential to represent economic history of the regions. These artifacts were found sporadic not via scientific excavations, they are still important in terms of evaluating the role of the Anatolian Peninsula in the Mediterranean-Black Sea-Aegean-Eastern Mediterranean trade. In this study, Brindisi, Sicilian Tubular, Dressel 1, Lamboglia II, Carrot Formed, DR 2-4, Late Rhodian, DR 24 similis, Kapitän II, Zemer 41, Augst 46, LRA 1, LRA 2 and LRA 4 amphorae were examined. With the borders of the Roman Empire reaching the Levant, the change taking place in the Eastern Mediterranean was also reflected in the Black Sea Region. The close commercial ties of the Black Sea Basin with the Mediterranean Region, the establishment of many new cities, especially after the Black Sea came under Roman rule, and the establishment of civil or military colonies in existing cities are closely related to the imports during the Roman period. Ancient Sinope is known to have been located on an active maritime route since the 8th century BC. The amphorae analyzed in this article show that the city maintained its importance during the Roman imperial period.

Keywords

• black sea
• roman period
• trade
• amphorae
• sinop museum