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Roman Wine Amphora

Type Object Region Mediterranean Time c. 1–500

The Roman two-handled wine amphora was a ceramic transport container widely used across the Mediterranean to carry wine, olive oil, and other liquid …

Timeline

  1. c. 1–150Campania–Latium · ItalyIn the early Empire, wine from the Italian peninsula was shipped in Dressel 1 and similar amphora types, entering the city of Rome through the port of Ostia to meet the capital's enormous consumer demand.
  2. c. 100–300Tarragona–Bordeaux · Western EuropeDuring the 1st to 3rd centuries, viticulture regions in Spain and Gaul rose to prominence, with new amphora types replacing some Italian-made containers as the wine trade network extended to the western empire and the Rhine frontier.
  3. c. 200–500North African coast · North AfricaAfter the 3rd century, the North African provinces became a major supplier of wine to Rome; amphora archaeological remains show the trade focus shifting eastward. After the empire's division, wine circulation patterns across the Mediterranean further diversified.

Sources