The question is whether finer-mesh networks might be added to the coarse one by including nodal points of smaller importance. This coarse network shows 3 lines converging on Rome. Additional nodes of a large-mesh Roman trade network might be located at Gades (Baetica, for garum, salted fish, olive oil) and at Carthago (Proconsular Africa, for wheat and olive oil). Goods were exported to Rome and other cities of the empire: not only exotic spices and goods from beyond the Red Sea, but also vast quantities of grain produced in Egypt.Īlexandria was a hub of the Roman economy.Some goods, such as perfumes and dyed silk, were transformed and manufactured in Alexandria, thereby adding great value to the imported goods.
17, 1, 13): Goods were imported from, and exported to, South Arabia, East Africa and India, and paid for with gold and silver bullion they were taxed at 25% by the Roman state, thereby providing a substantial part of its total income: Īlexandria was the “greatest emporium of the world”, acc. The major nodal points, now called ‘hubs’, are therefore located in Europe (Rotterdam, Hamburg), in USA (Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, New Orleans), in Asia, (Shanghai, Hong Kong, Busan, Yokahama, Singapore). other raw materials such as coal and iron ore are also transported in bulk from Africa, Australia and South America to many countries.energy such as oil, Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) transported in bulk from the Middle East, to China, Korea and Japan and many other countries.consumer goods transported in containers from China, Korea and Japan to Europe via the Suez Canal and to the US west coast via the Pacific Ocean.Today, there are several major nodal points for maritime traffic which are related to the network of main streams of traffic: With the growth of containerisation, intermodal freight transport has become more efficient. A transport hub is a place where cargo is exchanged from one transport mode to another. Many expressions use the term for a literal or figurative central structure connecting to a periphery. That will be ‘your’ trade network. The nodes of each network may be large inter-regional ports (‘hubs’) or smaller regional, or even local, ports.Īccording to Wikipedia, a hub is the central part of a wheel that connects the axle to the wheel itself. To be ‘professional’, you need to specialise: choose your goods, choose your trade cities and routes, choose your trade contacts. Trust between buyers and sellers is required, hence regular trading contacts are necessary, and therefore repetition of trade routes. The Roman state could provide the ‘service’ of military protection of provinces within the empire, receiving a tribute for this service. Roman individuals could export Roman goods as a return cargo when sailing back to foreign countries. The required money can be obtained by exporting your own goods and services. In order to provide your country’s consumers with the goods they wish, you need to import some of them and to pay foreign producers for the goods and for their transportation.