Trade

The diversity of Greek produce and an awareness of goods available only from nonGreek communities led to complex patterns of exchange, despite the continuing ideological power of the self-sufficient household. Surplus agricultural products were exchanged for imported necessities such as metals. In years of poor harvests, staple cereals might be imported to Greek cities. But, increasingly, archaeological evidence suggests that a growing market for luxuries, delicacies or more specialized varieties of staple produce acted as an important stimulus for multiple trade links across the Mediterranean.

Some of many examples of Greek imports, often from the cast, include wheat from southern Russia (rather than home-grown barley); Phoenician or Chian wine (also in preference to the local product), and other foods, spices, medicines, perfumes or clothing. Pottery was also exported and imported in the form of plain containers; and fine painted pots (as well as the more valuable goldand silverware) were used above all for display and for parties such as the symposia. Pottery tends to dominate our evidence because of its durability, but there is no reason to assume it was any more important a trade good than the rest.