Bridging the Eastern and Western Mediterranean : the Roman harbour sites on the coast of Cyrenaica, North-Eastern Libya
This thesis examines the results of an archaeological survey along a 50 km coastal strip of al-Jabal al-Akhdar (Green Mountain) in Cyrenaica (north-eastern Libya). The survey aimed to assess Cyrenaican ports during the Roman period, and secondary and minor harbours in particular. The conclusions demonstrate that a significant amount of productive and trading activity took place in this area in antiquity. This challenges previous assumptions that only major ports such as Apollonia, Ptolemais and Berenice were involved in trade. This study demonstrates the potential of secondary and small harbours to inform research about the economic role, mechanisms and hierarchy of harbours, in contrast to the prevalent trend among scholars to focus on the study of mega and major-ports. The new evidence has greatly increased our knowledge about productive activity along the coast of Cyrenaica, for example via the identification of 12 new amphora kilns. Initial estimates of the capacity of the vats recorded suggest that these harbours were involved in large-scale manufacturing. A further important strand of research involved an in-depth study of the physical features of the harbours and the construction techniques used in
Hesein, Mohamed A. H.
Bridging the Eastern and Western Mediterranean : the Roman harbour sites on the coast of Cyrenaica, North-Eastern Libya. This thesis examines the results of an archaeological survey along a 50 km coastal strip of al-Jabal al-Akhdar (Green Mountain) in Cyrenaica (north-eastern Libya). The survey aimed to assess Cyrenaican ports during the Roman period, and secondary and minor harbours in particular. The conclusions demonstrate that a significant amount of productive and trading activity took place in this area in antiquity. This challenges previous assumptions that only major ports such as Apollonia, Ptolemais and Berenice were involved in trade. This study demonstrates the potential of secondary and small harbours to inform research about the economic role, mechanisms and hierarchy of harbours, in contrast to the prevalent trend among scholars to focus on the study of mega and major-ports. The new evidence has greatly increased our knowledge about productive activity along the coast of Cyrenaica, for example via the identification of 12 new amphora kilns. Initial estimates of the capacity of the vats recorded suggest that these harbours were involved in large-scale manufacturing. A further important strand of research involved an in-depth study of the physical features of the harbours and the construction techniques used in
bridging eastern western_mediterranean roman harbour site coast cyrenaica north eastern libya examine archaeological_survey along coastal strip green mountain cyrenaica north_eastern libya survey aim_assess port roman_period secondary minor harbour particular conclusion significant_amount productive trading activity_take_place area antiquity challenge previous_assumption major port involve trade study_demonstrate potential secondary small harbour inform economic role mechanisms hierarchy harbour contrast prevalent trend among scholar focus study major new_evidence greatly increase_knowledge productive_activity along coast cyrenaica example via identification new amphora kiln initial estimate capacity vat record_suggest harbour involve_large scale manufacturing important strand involve depth_study physical feature harbour construction_technique use