Ancient amphorae from the former military area of Nora (CA). Evolution of trades and commercial routes during the Roman period

Abstract

Since the spring of 2013 the University of Cagliari, with the Isthmos Project, begun the field analysis on Nora (Pula, CA), focusing the search in a zone that never has been excavated, until this date, the former military area. By the archaeological dig, our team identified some districts of the ancient town characterized by an intense superposition and a lot of finds, mostly pottery ones, that prove an active vitality of Nora during the Roman period (227 B.C. – VI century A.D.). Furthermore, the amphorae study confirms the involving of Nora in the new commercial trades acquired by entering the Roman influence and the evolution of trade relationships with different commercial partners.

Keywords: Roman amphorae, Sardinian-punic amphorae, Nora, ancient Mediterranean trades, Roman Sardinia