Egypt and the Middle East. Productive and distributive centers of luxury goods in Classical Antiquity

Abstract

This study is part of my doctoral thesis entitled 'The retail trade in the city of Rome during the Late Roman Empire', looking specially at trade gemstones, pearls, gold, garments, sumptuaries fabrics and ointments. All these are categorized as luxury products. My analysis covers the late Roman Republic until the end of Late Roman Empire (c. 1st-3rd cent. AD). In order to better understand the trade routes and the subsequent development of a graphic ont the various trade routes of Orientalluxury products emerges after attending meetings of the EPNet Project. This trade is linked solely to satisfy the whims of a sector of the population of Rome increasingly highlighting their high purchasing power, capable of coping with large expenditures for pleasure.