Maritime Traders in the Ancient Greek World

178 Pages·1.64 MB·English

by  Reeds С.М.

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MARITIME TRADERS IN
THE ANCIENT GREEK WORLD
This is the first full work since Hasebroek’s Trade and Politics in the
AncientWorldtodealdirectlywiththeplaceofmaritimetradersinan-
cientGreece.Itsmainassumptionisthattraders’juridical,economic,
political,andunofficialstandingcanonlybeviewedcorrectlythrough
thelensofthepolisframework.Itarguesthatthoseengagingininter-
regional trade with classical Athens were mainly poor and foreign
(hencepoliticallyinertatAthens).Moreover,Athens,aswellasother
classicalGreekpoleis,resortedtolimitedmeasures,wellshortofwar
orothermodesofeconomicimperialism,toattractthem.However,
atleastinthemindsofindividualAthenians,considerationsoftraders’
indispensabilitytoAthensdisplacedwhatotherwisewouldhavebeen
lowestimationsoftheirsocialstatus.
c. m. reed is William States Lee Professor of History at Queens
College,Charlotte,NorthCarolina.

MARITIME TRADERS IN
THE ANCIENT GREEK
WORLD
C. M. REED
WilliamS.LeeProfessorofHistory
QueensCollege,
Charlotte,NorthCarolina
  
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ISBN-13 978-0-521-26848-6 hardback
ISBN-10 0-521-26848-6 hardback
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ToJean

Contents
Acknowledgments pageviii
Listofabbreviations ix
ListofreferencestoGreekterms xi
Maps xii
Introduction 1
1 Comingtoterms 6
2 Classicalmodesandpatternsofexchange 15
3 Thejuridicalplaceofmaritimetraders 27
4 Thelevelofwealthofmaritimetraders 34
5 Officialattitudestowardmaritimetraders 43
6 Unofficialattitudestowardmaritimetraders 54
7 Archaicmodesofexchangeandthepersonnelinvolved,
c.800–475b.c. 62
8 Conclusion:thenandnow 75
Appendix1:Emporoiandnaukle¯roi:theirattestedstatesoforigin 82
Appendix2:Cohesionofmaritimetraders 85
Appendix3:Thedikaiemporikai 89
Appendix4:Catalogueofemporoiandnaukle¯roi 93
Bibliography 133
Indexes
1 Indexlocorum 149
2 Generalindex 157
vii
Acknowledgments
For their tutelage in the use of ancient evidence I am much indebted to
Alec McGeachy at Davidson College, Minor Markle at the University of
Virginia,andatOxfordJohnDaviesandaboveallthelateGeoffreydeSte.
Croix.
Readers know de Ste. Croix as a spirited, controversial, left-of-center
Greek historian who produced empirical and theoretical studies of great
scope and distinction. He was also the ideal thesis advisor – unfailingly
kind, patient, and indefatigable. So extensive was his influence on the
presentworkthatIamtemptedtolisthimasapartnerinit,ifthatdidnot
alsoimplicatehiminsubsequentmistakesoffactorinterpretationonmy
part.MywifeandIareespeciallygratefultohimandhiswifeMargaretfor
theirhospitalitywhilewewereinEngland.
Thisworkalsoprofitedgreatlyfromayear’sfellowshipattheCenterfor
HellenicStudiesandalatersummerthere.IammostgratefultoDeborah
BoedekerandKurtRaaflaubfortheirhospitalityonsubsequentvisits.
MichelAustin,PaulCartledge,JohnDavies,andDavidHarveyoffered
very helpful detailed advice on the contents in their thesis form. My
thanks to David as well for recently mentioning another maritime trader,
Theogenes,whoinEupolis’Demosissaidtoownmorethanonemerchant
vessel(PCG f 99.5–70);thereferencearrivedtoolatetobeincludedinthe
text.PaulineHire,PeterKrentz,MichaelSharp,KurtRaaflaub,andLinda
Woodward saved me from many errors by their comments on the book’s
laterdrafts.
For various kindness in connection with this work I also thank my
daughter Laura Reed and friends Bob Knott, Charles McAllister, Fred
Stanback,andRanTurner.
Thisbookisdedicatedtomywife,withoutwhoseloveandlaboritnever
wouldhavebeenfinished.
viii