Rome and the Indian Ocean Trade from Augustus to the Early Third Century CE

Matthew Adam Cobb, Ph.D. (2012), Swansea University, is a lecturer of Ancient History at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. He has published several articles relating to the nature of Roman participation in the Indian Ocean trade.

• AcknowledgementsList of Tables, Maps and Figures1 IntroductionScope of the BookKey ThemesScholarly DevelopmentsApproaching the EvidenceSummary2 The Ptolemies and the Erythra ThalassaEarly Ptolemaic Activity in the Red SeaVoyages over the Open Ocean: The Monsoon Trade WindsIncreasing TradePtolemaic MonopoliesPtolemaic Egypt and the Port of ArikameduPtolemaic Routes and FacilitiesSummary3 Organisation and FinanceMerchants and FinanciersThe Scale of InvestmentShip Design and ConstructionSummary4 The Roman State and the Indian Ocean TradeFacilitating the TradeAdministration and SecurityRoman Military and Diplomatic PolicyThe Imperial Family’s Commercial Interests?Summary5 Trade Routes and Merchant DiasporasTrading Routes and SchedulesMerchant DiasporasRomans in the Far EastSummary6 ImportsImports from the Indian OceanIndian Ocean Goods and Roman SocietySummary7 ExportsExports from the Mediterranean WorldRoman Coins in India8 Rome’s Trade Balance with IndiaA Roman Trade Deficit?The Significance of Gold and Silver as ExportsBallast and StowageCrew ProvisionsSummary9 The Peak of Roman Trade in the Indian OceanRoman Participation in the Indian Ocean Trade: The Second and Third CenturiesArchaeological Evidence: The Dating of Roman ExportsArchaeological Evidence: The Red Sea Ports and the Eastern Desert FortletsInterpreting the Chronological Patterns10 ConclusionThe Development of Roman Trade in the Indian OceanSchedules, Practicalities and Roman DiasporasIndian Ocean Goods and Roman SocietyBarter and BullionThe Peak Period of Roman TradeAfterwordBibliographyIndex

"Rome and the Indian Ocean Trade is a fascinating monograph on a subject that has grown more and more popular among scholars over the last century. (...) Overall, this book provides a very good introduction to the trade between the Roman Empire and the Indian Ocean. It will likely be of greatest interest to ancient economic historians, but the thorough descriptions and explanations of facts and concepts make the book accessible to a general, non-specialist audience. (...) The author is to be commended for producing a publication that is a valuable contribution to the study of ancient international trade and serves as a model for sound, well-reasoned scholarship." - Dario Nappo, in: CJ~online 2019.07.08"Cobb präsentiert einen kenntnisreichen Überblick zum Osthandel, der sich auf eine breite Quellengrundlage stützt und den aktuellen Stand der Forschung widerspiegelt. Sein Verdienst ist es zweifellos, eine gelungene und auf umfangreichen eigenen Recherchen basierende Zusammenschau der jüngeren wissenschaftlichen Auseinandersetzung mit dem Osthandel zu bieten. Sein Buch wird auch angesichts der ständig wachsenden und fast unüberschaubaren Literaturfülle weiteren Studien zur Thematik als Hilfsmittel willkommen sein." - Monika Schuol, Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, in: Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2020.09.39