TERRA SIGILLATA IN BARBARICUM NORTH OF THE PANNONIAN FRONTIER: EVIDENCE OF LONG-DISTANCE AND LOCAL TRADE

Selçuk University

Faculty of Letters Department of Archaeology

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey

Proceedings of the International Symposium

�Trade and Production Through the Ages�

Konya, 25-28 November 2008

Editors: Ertekin Doksanalt

Erdo an Aslan


Trade and Production Through the Ages


Editors: Ertekin Doksanalt Erdo an Aslan

© Selçuk University Faculty of Letters Department of Archaeology Konya/ Türkiye TR01

Advisory Board Prof Dr. Ahmet Adil Trpan (Selçuk University Faculty of Letters Department of Archaeology) Prof.Dr. Maria Novotna (Trnava University Philosophical Faculty Department of Classical Archaeology) Prof.Dr. Werner Jobst (Trnava University Philosophical Faculty Department of Classical Archaeology) Prof.Dr. Mustafa Sahin (Uluda University Faculty of Letters Department of Archaeology) Doç.Dr. Maria Dufkova (Trnava University Philosophical Faculty Department of Classical Archaeology) Doç.Dr. Klara Kuzmova (Trnava University Philosophical Faculty Department of Classical Archaeology) Doç. Dr. Asuman Baldran (Selçuk University Faculty of Letters Department of Archaeology)

Contact address:

Selçuk University Faculty of Letters Department of Archaeology Konya/ Türkiye TR01 +903322231373 [email protected] The authors are responsible for their contributions. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form - electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, including web pages, without the prior written permission from the copyright owner.

ISBN: 978-605-4366-08-8

PUBLISHING:

SELÇUK ÜN VERS TES EDEB YAT FAKÜLTES

D J TAL BASKI MERKEZ

KONYA, SEPTEMBER, 2010


�Trade and Production Through the Ages�

Selçuk University Faculty of Letters Department of Archaeology

Trnava University Philosophical Faculty Department of Classical Archaeology

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey


CONTENTS

Preface

ASLAN, Erdo an - ÖZKAN, Güzin: A Group Of Commercial Amphorae At Konya Archeological Museum 7-18 C RT L, Saim: Mu la-Yata an Tepecik Kazsnda Bulunan Fatih Sultan Mehmed Sikkeleri 19-32 DO AN, Banu: Trade And Exchange In Prehistory. A Theoretical Evaluation 33-50 DUFKOVÁ, Marie: Greek Terracottas Of The Archaic And Classical Periods In The Northern 51-66 And Western Black Sea EREK, Cevdet Merih: The Findings and Production Technologies in Direkli Cave (Kahramanmara ) 67-84 EROL, Ay e F.: Slave Trade Of Black Sea Region From Archaic To Hellenistic Period 85-96

FINDIK, Ebru Fatma: Late Roman-Early Byzantine Pottery From The Excavations Of 97-114 St. Nikolaos Church In Myra NANAN, Filiz:

Anaia - Kadikalesi: A New Zeuxippus Ware Production Centre 115-128 KARAU UZ, Güngör: Thoughts On Road Network Of The Inside Areas In The Light Of 129-142 Ancient Fortresses In Zonguldak Area KUZMOVÁ, Klára: Terra Sigillata in Barbaricum North of the Pannonian Frontier: 143-154 Evidence of Long-Distance and Local Trade NOVAKOVA, Lucia: Drug trade in the classical antiquity in the eastern Mediterranean area 155-166 ÖZEL, Prl : Used Trade Roads in Anatolia and mportance of skenderun Bay 167-174

TIRPAN, Ahmet Adil- GIDER, Zeliha � BÜYÜKÖZER, Aytekin Wine Production And Trade In Belentepe In Byzatine Period 175-188

UZUNEL, Ömer � TA KIRAN, Murat: A Workshop from Caria Chersonesos 189-202

ÜNAL, Ceren; The Reflection of Byzantine Coin Iconography to the Coins of Artuqids: 203-216 The Figure of Virgin Mary Crowning the Emperor

Appendix

BALDIRAN, Asuman � KARAU UZ, Güngör � SÖ ÜT, Bilal: Centre Unissant Les Cultes Hittites Et Romains : Fasillar 219-256 BALDIRAN, Asuman- SÖ ÜT, Bilal: Kybele Monument In Lykaonia Region Bey ehir And Seydi ehir Counties 257-278 DOKSANALTI, Ertekin- KARAU UZ, Güngör: The Hellenistic and Roman Ceramics from Field Surveys at 279-298 Devrek and Its Environs SUHAL, Sa lan: A Group Of West Slope Pottery Dscovered In Kelenderis 299-312 TIRPAN, Ahmet Adil- EK C , Makbule: Börükçü Olive Oil Workshops 313-327

Preface

Bilateral relations between Selcuk University and Trnava University continue in the form of

scientific meetings. In this framework, the symposiums that Trnava University had already

begun continued in a symposium held in our university in 2008. Entitled �Trade and

Production Through the Ages�, this international symposium aimed at discussing the

archaeological reflections of production and trade conducted in ancient ages and sharing new

information and findings in this regard. Trade and production , which began with exchange of

goods and assumed a new dimension with the invention of money, have triggered cultural

development across the ages and ensured cultural exchange among civilisations. It is known

that as a result of the interaction in question, cultural changes have taken place as well as

historical ages. The symposium dealt with change brought about by means of production and

trade and cultural change that ensued.

The international symposium entitled �Trade and Production Through the Ages�, which was

hosted by Selcuk Univeristy Faculty of Letters Department of Archaeology and sponsored by

TUBITAK on November 25-28 2008 was jointly organised by Selcuk University Department

of Archaeology, Trnava University Department of Archaeology, Slovak Archaeological

Society and Uludag University Archaeology Department. 49 speakers from seven countries,

namely Austria, Slovakia, Germany, The Czech Republic, Italy, Uzbekistan and Turkey

participated in the symposium. A trip was organised to Catalhoyuk and Eflatunpnar

Monument at the end of the symposium and it ended with a closing cocktail.

The papers submitted to this symposium and the papers submitted to the additional section

entitled Anatolian Archaeological Studies were published in English and French together with

20 papers.

Editors

Konya, July 2010

143

Proceedings of the International Symposium �Trade and Production Through the Ages�, 143-154.

TERRA SIGILLATA IN BARBARICUM NORTH OF THE PANNONIAN FRONTIER:

EVIDENCE OF LONG-DISTANCE AND LOCAL TRADE

Klára Kuzmová

Keywords: Terra Sigillata, Trade, Barbaricum, SW-Slovakia, North-Pannonian Frontier, 1st-

4th centuries AD

Abstract: The quantity of terra sigillata indicates that most often it crossed the frontier by long-distance and

local trade. Two important transcontinental communications led through the Middle-Danubian region in the 1st-

4th centuries AD: the south-northern Amber Route and the west-eastern Danubian, Limes-Road. These roads

were connected with local and regional, overland and probably also water routes. Their courses were

determined first of all by geographic factors and by location of contemporary settlements. The North-Pannonian

border zone and its military forts (Carnuntum, Gerulata, Brigetio, Solva) played an important role in the

mediation of terra sigillata to the barbarian territory. The finds of this pottery came from nine potter�s centres.

They were mostly imported from Lezoux (Gallia), Rheinzabern (Germania Inferior), Westerndorf and

Pfaffenhofen (Raetia). According to finds, the beginnings of the regular terra sigillata import are datable to the

late Flavian Period. The most intensive pottery trade went on between the middle of the 2nd century and the first

third of the 3rd century, and reached its top under Severan dynasty. The decline of the regular terra sigillata

influx is dated to the end of the 3rd decade of the 3rd century, and the influx came to a close around the middle of

the 3rd century. Regarding the quantity of finds, the relations between the Romans and the Germans here could

be characterised as extraordinarily active, compared with other regions of the Roman Empire. The close

contacts and the influence of the ancient world on barbarian society led to their gradual romanisation.

The contribution focuses on the Middle-Danubian region, especially in the territory north of

the Roman province Pannonia, which is today South-West Slovakia. In the Roman Period � in

the first four centuries AD � the area was settled by the Germanic tribes of Marcomanni and

Quadi. According to archaeological and historical sources, contacts between the Romans and

the Germans on this section of the Limes and in the surrounding Barbaricum were far from

ordinary. In their framework a lot of Roman ware got outside the Roman Empire. The North-

Pannonian border zone played an important role in the mediation of Italian and provincial

products as well as terra sigillata to the territory lying north of the Danube. In any case, the

presence of terra sigillata in Barbaricum depended on the military supply to the frontier.

144

Klára Kuzmová

The Roman tableware called terra sigillata or Samian ware had a long way from producers to

customers, which was influenced by general as well as regional and local factors. The most

significant were the intensity of production and the routing of distribution, the contemporary

economic and political situation, the main historical events, and both peaceful and military

interactions, especially wars. Terra sigillata in the Middle-Danubian region reflects such

events as the early presence of the Roman military troops near Carnuntum under the

leadership of Tiberius in the year 6 AD, or the creation of the limes during the reign of

Domitian and its main building phases; further the beginning, development and decline of

military forts and civilian settlements, the events of Marcomannic wars, the economic and

social prosperity during the reign of Severan dynasty, and so on1.

Archaeological finds and find-circumstances and historical sources allow us to assume that

besides exchange and trade there were other ways in which terra sigillata was coming to the

territory outside the Roman Empire. It could get to the Barbaricum via military and civilian

activities of provincial inhabitants and Germanic natives, for example in form of a gift, as

subsidies, as plunder, and as a part of the equipment of the Roman troops. Regarding the

quantity of Roman products, the relations between the Romans and the Germans here could

be characterised as extraordinarily active, compared with other regions of the Roman Empire.

The close contacts between the Roman and Germanic worlds and the influence of the ancient

civilisation on barbarian society led to their gradual romanisation. Recent research, especially

within aerial archaeology and geophysical prospection, has revealed many new temporary

camps behind the North-Pannonian frontier2. The presence of the Roman army in different

regions of the barbarian territory did vastly influence the influx of provincial ware, including

terra sigillata.

Although there were different ways of terra sigillata�s coming to the barbarian territory, its

quantity indicates that most often it crossed the frontier by long-distance and local trade. At

that time, two important transcontinental communications led through the Middle-Danubian

region: the south-northern Amber Route and the west-eastern Danubian, Limes-Road. Their

crossroads is assumed in the area of the so called Porta Hungarica, at the confluence of the

1 Kuzmová 1997; 2009. 2 Rajtár 2008.

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Terra Sigillata In Barbaricum North Of The Pannonian Frontier: Evidence Of Long-Distance And Local Trade

rivers Danube and Moravia, near southern slopes of the Little Carpathians. These roads were

connected with local and regional, overland and probably also water routes, which allowed

communication and transport in all directions. Their courses were determined first of all by

geographic factors and by location of contemporary settlements, as is proved by numerous

finds of terra sigillata (fig. 1). Among the most significant geographic factors were the

Carpathian Mountains, which divided the territory into two parts: western and eastern.

Similarly important was the direction of the flow of the main rivers running into the Danube:

Moravia, Váh, Nitra, �itava and Hron.

The south-northern Amber Route mediated contacts between the Mediterranean and the

Baltic Sea. Its main route went from Aquileia in northern Italy through western Pannonia to

Carnuntum, which was an important military and civilian settlement on the Danubian frontier,

and became a capital of Pannonia. We assume that here the route crossed the Danube and

continued along the Moravia valley through the barbarian territory further northwards. The

archaeological objects and structures from both Roman and barbarian territories as well as

historical sources confirm that the main route split into several side routes. According to the

ancient geographer Ptolemy one of the eastern branches of the Amber Route went from

western Pannonia (from the town of Savaria) to Brigetio, where a legionary fortress and a

large military and civilian settlement were situated. This important fortification and Roman

base, which included a bridgehead on the opposite bank of the Danube, controlled the

territory around the confluence of the rivers Váh and Danube. We assume that this branch of

the Amber Route crossed the Danube at Brigetio and continued northwards along the Nitra,

�itava and Váh valleys, across the barbarian territory3.

The first products to come to Pannonia by the Amber Route were Italian. In case of terra

sigillata it was tableware produced in Arezzo in early Roman, Augustan period. This kind of

pottery was found in the territory of South-West Slovakia, solely on the site Devín. This

settlement lied on the North-Pannonian border zone near Carnuntum (10 km), though on the

opposite bank of the frontier river Danube. The strategic importance of this site is also given

by its position on the hill above the confluence of the rivers Moravia and Danube, at the

assumed crossroads of the Amber and the Limes Road. Based on the results of last

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Klára Kuzmová

excavations, the early Italian terra sigillata can be connected with remnants of Roman military

architecture and at the same time with the early presence of Roman troops in this area. The

relatively small group of finds probably belonged to the equipment of soldiers stationed in

this controlling position4. Although it was situated on the �barbarian� bank of the Danube, the

finds of terra sigillata cannot be classified as import to Barbaricum. From the historical point

of view, the occurrence of this collection is related to the military campaign of Tiberius

against the Marcomannic king Marbod in the year 6 AD, and to the beginnings of Carnuntum.

Due to these facts, and also because the finds of terra sigillata are quantitatively,

chronologically and territorially limited, we can hardly associate them with regular trading

activities in the early Roman Period5.

Further evidence of the influx of terra sigillata via the Amber Route is represented by the

North-African ware dated to the 4th century. Since there are only known some separate sherds,

its occurrence north of the Danube cannot have connection with regular pottery import. In any

case, they confirm that also in the Late Roman Period there were contacts between the

Mediterranean and barbarian territories6.

It was through the Limes-Road, along the river Danube, that products of western provinces �

Gallia, Germania and Raetia � came to the Middle-Danubian region. The beginnings of the

regular import from the western part of the Roman Empire is datable into the late Flavian

Period, when Roman army moved from the Rhineland to the Pannonian frontier. At this time

South-Gaulish products were distributed from the potter�s centre in La Graufesenque. Judging

from the finds, their ways to Barbaricum were very limited. They are known from seven sites

only, situated in the distance of maximum 50 km north of the frontier7.

The more remarkable influx of terra sigillata to the limes and to the neighbouring Barbaricum

is noted in the Antonine Period, under a favourable development of relations between the

Romans and the natives. At the time there occurs Late South-Gaulish ware from Banassac and

Central-Gaulish ware from Lezoux. A small group of the Lezoux ware dated to the early

3 Wielowiejski 1970, 211-2; 1984, 79. Kuzmová 1997, 56. 4 Pieta and Plachá 1999. 5 Gabler 1981. 6 Kuzmová 1997, 45.

147


Antonine Period was concentrated in the western and north-western parts of the studied

territory8.

The number of finds on the limes and behind it grew remarkably in the second half of the 2nd

century as a result of mass production in Central Gaul (Lezoux) and Rhineland (Rheinzabern).

A certain stagnation of the terra sigillata distribution can be observed during and shortly after

the Marcomannic wars (166-180 AD). Its longer interruption, however, has not been proved.

The import of terra sigillata reached its top during the rule of the Severan dynasty, when

products from Westerndorf and Pfaffenhofen were distributed to the Middle-Danubian region

besides the Rheinzabern products9.

Not only the Limes-Road but also the Danubian water route and ship-transport played an

important role in both the long-distance and the local and regional trade. In this context it is

relevant to mention a new interpretation of a sarcophag inscription from Brigetio (fig. 2). It

concerns the trade with terra sigillata made in the potter�s workshops in Pons Aeni (today

Pfaffenhofen in Germany). The inscription is related to the person of Aurel(ius) Martialis,

husband of the deceased Valeria Lucilla, who was mentioned here as a NAVCLER. The

Hungarian archaeologist Zs. Mráv10 argues that he was not a warship captain but a nauclerus,

a ship-owner. The author assumes, that the partly-preserved harbour name -ENI can be

identified as a customs station named Pons Aeni (or simply Enus in sources, and Pfaffenhofen

today). It was an important terra sigillata production and distribution centre by the river

Aenus/Inn oriented on markets in the Danube region in the first half of the 3rd century AD. It

should be also stressed that Pons Aeni was situated on the border of two provinces � Raetia

and Noricum, and at the same time on the border of two customs areas � XXXX Galliarum and

portorium Illyrici. That explains why the products of Pons Aeni/Pfaffenhofen were distributed

mostly along the river Inn and to the east of it, along the Danube, where they supplied also the

Roman army on the North-Pannonian frontier and accommodated customers in barbarian

territories behind the limes.

7 Kuzmová 1997, 16-18. 8 Kuzmová 1997, 16-20. 9 Kuzmová 1997, 21-31, 87-91. 10 Mráv 1999.

148

Klára Kuzmová

In addition, we have one sherd of the Late Roman terra sigillata from Argonne region dated to

the second half of the 4th century. It played no role in pottery import and can only be

classified as a complementary part to contemporary tableware11.

To sum up, terra sigillata finds from the territory behind the North-Pannonian frontier came

from nine potter�s centres: South- (La Graufesenque, Banassac ) and Central-Gaulish

(Lezoux) workshops, Rheinzabern, Westerndorf, Pfaffenhofen, Schwabmünchen, Argonne

and North-African workshops (fig. 3). From the quantitative point of view, the pottery was

mostly imported from Lezoux (Gallia), Rheinzabern (Germania Inferior), Westerndorf and

Pfaffenhofen (Raetia; fig. 4). As it has already mentioned, its occurrence in Barbaricum was

closely connected with the military supply to the frontier. Mapping terra sigillata finds in the

barbarian territory, we realise that particular military forts and corresponding military and

civilian settlements on the limes played an evident role in distribution and mediation of this

pottery. From this point of view, Carnuntum and its region was significant for southern

Moravia basin, Gerulata for the region on eastern slopes of the Little Carpathians, Brigetio

and its bridgehead for southern basins of the rivers Nitra and �itava, and Solva for southern

Hron valley (fig. 5).

In studying the trading activities between the Romans and the Germans the fact that terra

sigillata occurred in the heterogeneous milieu of Barbaricum is also important. According to

the finds and find-circumstances it belonged to the equipment of Germanic settlements as

well as to the inventory of cemeteries, of cremation and inhumation graves � both the

standard ones and those of aristocracy. Besides the standard barbarian villages terra sigillata

has also been found in areas of the so-called Roman �stations� - civilian settlements, where

both Germanic structures and objects and Roman or Roman-like buildings and provincial

products have been found12.

From the chronological point of view, the contemporary research accepts �the short

chronology� of terra sigillata, it means no difference between the time of production and the

time of distribution, and between the transportation through long-distance trade and regional

11 Kuzmová 1997, 31. 12 Kuzmová 1997, 33-55.

149


or local trade. The main stages of the influx of terra sigillata to the Middle-Danubian region

could be generally characterised by well-dated finds. Although there is an evidence of Early

Italian products from the Augustan period on the North-Pannonian frontier, the beginnings of

the regular terra sigillata import are datable to the late Flavian Period. The mass production

and the most intensive pottery trade went on between the middle of the 2nd century and the

first third of the 3rd century, and reached its top under Severan dynasty. The decline of the

regular terra sigillata influx into the Middle-Danubian region can be dated to the end of the 3rd

decade of the 3rd century, and the influx came to a close around the middle of the 3rd

century13.

Klára Kuzmová

Hornopoto ná 23, SK-91843 Trnava, Slovak Republic [email protected]

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Klára Kuzmová

Bibliography

Gabler, D. 1981. �Zum Anfangsdatum des römischen Carnuntum.� In Mitteilungen der

Gesellschaft der Freunde Carnuntums 3: 2-32.

Kuzmová, K. 1997. Terra Sigillata im Vorfeld des nordpannonischen Limes (Südwestslowakei).

Archaeologica Slovaca Monographiae. Fontes Instituti Archaeologici

Nitriensis Academiae Scientiarum Slovacae, Tomus XVI. Nitra:

Archäologisches Institut der Slowakischen Akademie der Wissenschaften.

Kuzmová, K. 2009. �Terra Sigillata North of the Norican-Pannonian Limes (Southwestern

Slovakia, southern Moravia, northern Lower Austria)�. In

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Provinces of the Roman Empire from Britain to the Black Sea up to 212

A.D.

http://www2.rgzm.de/transformation/home/FramesUK.cfm (20.6.2009)

Mráv, Zs. 1999. �AURELIUS MARTIALIS, NAUCLER(US) PORTUS (A)ENI. Zum

Handelsleben des 3. Jh. n. Chr. In Brigetio�. In Münstersche Beiträge zur

antiken Handelsgeschichte XVIII, 2: 73-86. Münster: Scripta Mercaturae

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Pieta, K., and V. Plachá 1999. �Die ersten Römer im nördlichen Mitteldonauraum im Lichte

neuen Grabungen in Devín�. In Germanen beiderseits des spätantiken

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Brno: Archeologický ústav AV R Brno.

Rajtár, J. 2008. �Die Waagtrasse in der Slowakei. Eine Vormarschroute der Römer während

der Markomannenkriege?� In Rom auf dem Weg nach Germanien:

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Wielowiejski, J. 1970. Kontakty Noricum I Pannonii z udami pó nocnymi. Wroc aw -

Warszawa - Kraków.

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Figures:

Fig. 1. Terra sigillata north of the Pannonian frontier under Severan dynasty.

Fig. 2. Sarcophag inscription from Brigetio related to the trade with terra sigillata (Mráv

1999, fig. 2).

Fig. 3. Provenience of terra sigillata from the studied territory. 1 � La Graufesenque, 2 �

Banassac, 3 � Lezoux, 4 � Rheinzabern, 5 � Westerndorf, 6 � Pfaffenhofen, 7 �

Schwabmünchen, 8 � Argonne, 9 � North Africa.

Fig. 4. Significant production centres of terra sigillata from the studied territory. Le � Lezoux,

Rh � Rheinzabern, We � Westerndorf, Pf � Pfaffenhofen.

Fig. 5. Military forts on the North-Pannonian frontier relevant in the mediation of terra

sigillata to Barbaricum.

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Klára Kuzmová

FIGURES

Figure-1

Figure-2

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Figure-3

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Klára Kuzmová

Figure-4

Figure-5

Documents

TERRA SIGILLATA IN BARBARICUM NORTH OF THE PANNONIAN FRONTIER: EVIDENCE OF LONG-DISTANCE AND LOCAL TRADE