Vice-versa: The iron trade in the western Roman Empire between Gaul and the Mediterranean

Starting from the second century BC, with the fast expansion of the Roman Empire, iron production and consumption developed exponentially in north-western Europe. This rapid growth naturally led to an increase in trade, that still remains to be studied encompassing a broad scope, so as to not neglect long-distance exchanges. This is today possible by taking advantage of the progress made in the past 40 years in archaeology and archaeometallurgy. Cargoes of iron bars recovered from a group of 23 wrecks located off the coast of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (Bouches-du-Rhone, France), opposite an old branch of the Rhone River, constitute a rich opportunity to examine this trade, by comparing the slag inclusions trapped in iron bars to primary slag from the six main ironmaking areas in Gaul. Based on a trace element analysis of these inclusions and this slag, we suggest that ships travelled down the Rhone carrying iron produced in Wallonia (Belgium), while others sailed up the Rhone transporting iron produced in Montagne Noire (Aude, France).

Automated summary

With the expansion of the Roman Empire, iron production and consumption in north-western Europe increased rapidly, leading to a growth in trade that still needs to be studied. Recent progress in archaeology and archaeometallurgy allows for the examination of long-distance exchanges. The discovery of iron bars recovered from shipwrecks off the coast of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in France provides an opportunity to analyze this trade through comparing the slag inclusions in the iron bars to primary slag from ironmaking areas in Gaul.