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 -olive oil -weapons -crafted goods -amber -ivory -Copper ingots -Perishable Goods {food, textiles, slaves, animal skins} -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  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 Mediterranean Sea.

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 4 th C.E. to 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.