logo
episode-header-image
May 2023
27m 42s

How the Mediterranean Created Wealth

History Hit
About this episode

What does archaeology tell us about how regions in the Mediterranean built their wealth between the 10th and 12th centuries? How did economies grow in Egypt, Tunisia, Sicily, the Byzantine empire, Islamic Spain and Portugal, and north-central Italy? And what were their trading relationships with each other? 


In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis talks to Professor Chris Wickham, author of The Donkey and the Boat: Reinterpreting the Mediterranean Economy, 950-1180. Based on a completely new look at the sources, his research is forcing a rethink about how economies worked in the medieval Mediterranean. 


This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

 

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.


If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
Thor and Loki
Has Thor always been considered an all-powerful but ridiculed deity? Is it possible to pin down Loki's complex nature as simply a trickster?Matt Lewis embarks on a mythical journey with Carolyne Larrington to get to know the legendary gods Thor and Loki. Together they uncover the ... Show More
1h 14m
Oct 7
Odin, Asgard & the Norse Gods
Dr. Eleanor Janega gets chummy with the gods of Norse Mythology. She's joined by Professor Carolyne Larrington to explore Odin’s quest for wisdom and the heart-wrenching trials he undergoes; Loki's shapeshifting exploits, and the tragic saga of Baldr orchestrated by the wise but ... Show More
1h 12m
Oct 3
Norse Mythology: Creation Myths
Across October Gone Medieval embarks on an epic journey through Norse Mythology in a new series. From the first creation myth to Ragnarok, hosts Matt Lewis and Dr. Eleanor Janega are joined by our Viking king for immersive storytelling, cinematic sound design, expert interviews, ... Show More
1h 5m
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2023
Rise of the Assyrians
At its pinnacle, the kingdom of Assyria stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf, a feat few could compare with in 660BCE. With Assyria's conquests documented by contemporary Greek historians, and even in the Hebrew Bible, nearly two millennia of studies have reve ... Show More
41m 13s
Feb 2022
The Phoenician World
Imagine you are a traveller sailing to the major cities around the Mediterranean in 750 BC. You would notice a remarkable similarity in the dress, alphabet, consumer goods, and gods from Gibraltar to Tyre. This was not the Greek world—it was the Phoenician. Based in Tyre, Sidon, ... Show More
1h 2m
Feb 2024
Origins of Carthage
Famed as one of Rome’s fiercest enemies, the city of Carthage was one of the jewels of the ancient Mediterranean world. Situated on the coast of North Africa on the tip of what is now Tunisia, it first rose to prominence as a Phoenician colony. But how did this once fledgling out ... Show More
54m 33s
Jun 2020
Rome and the Mediterranean
By the first century BC, the nuisance of piracy had become a plague in the Mediterranean. The Romans dispatched Pompey who freed the way for the expansion of commerce and the Empire. But why was the Mediterranean so important to Rome? How did they go about ruling its waves? And h ... Show More
23m 11s
Apr 2022
Before Rome: The Truth About Late Iron Age Britain
Roman connections with Britain stretch back to (at least) the mid 1st century BC. But what has archaeology revealed about the Late Iron Age British societies they interacted with? Do we have any concrete evidence for the druids? Was human sacrifice a thing? Sit back and enjoy in ... Show More
43m 28s
Jun 2022
Mermaids
The central Mediterranean is home to a bounty of creatures - fish, dolphins, and... mermaids? In today's episode Dr Amelia Brown returns to the podcast to talk marine mammals and Merpeople. From iconic characters such as Thetis, mother to one of the most famous heroes in the anci ... Show More
51m 5s
Sep 2022
Rise of the Persians
The Achaemenid Empire, or better known as the First Persian Empire, was one of the largest empires in History - led by Cyrus the Great it covered 2.1 million square miles. But where did it come from? And what do we know about their society? It was in their DNA to travel and explo ... Show More
44m 46s
Mar 2024
The Mediterranean World in 500 BC
After our long sojourn in Central, East, and South Asia, it's time to return to a Mediterranean on the cusp of enormous changes. Around 500 BC, Rome was shedding its kings, Carthage was about to become the greatest power in the Central Mediterranean, and Greece would soon enter i ... Show More
40m 59s
Jun 2024
The Parthians
The Parthians were heavyweights of ancient Mesopotamia. Hailing from what is now modern day Iran, they charged onto the scene by destroying the Seleucid Empire and became one of Rome’s most formidable enemies. They are perhaps most famous for capturing Crassus - Rome’s spider-lik ... Show More
54m 58s
Feb 2024
Persia Reborn: Rise of the Sasanians
The Sasanians are renowned as one of Rome's most feared enemies. Founded in third century Persia by an Iranian noble called Ardashir, their dynasty oversaw the growth of a mighty empire that brought down the Parthians and survived into the early Middle Ages. But how did one famil ... Show More
50m 37s