From Empire-wide integration to regional localization: A synthetic and quantitative study of heterogeneous amphora data in Roman Germania reveals centuries-long change in regional patterns of production and consumption

A groundbreaking analysis of amphorae data from Roman Germania reveals dynamic shifts in trade patterns over 550 years, transitioning from empire-wide integration to regional localization. The study, utilizing probabilistic aoristic methods, uncovers how connections with distant regions like the Eastern Mediterranean and Iberian Peninsula fluctuated over time, while local German producers increasingly competed with imported goods. This research provides a transparent, reproducible case study of market activity pulsation within the Roman economy, offering new insights into long-term economic changes along the empire's frontier.

Franconi, T., Brughmans, T., Borisova, E., & Paulsen, L. (2023). From Empire-wide integration to regional localization: A synthetic and quantitative study of heterogeneous amphora data in Roman Germania reveals centuries-long change in regional patterns of production and consumption. Plos One, 18(1), e0279382. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279382