Neville Morley is a Senior Lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Bristol. His previous publications include Metropolis and Hinterland: the City of Rome and the Italian Economy (Cambridge University Press, 1996) and Models and Concepts in Ancient History (2004).

• 1. Trade and the ancient economy; 2. Ecology and economics; 3. Commodities and consumption; 4. Institutions and infrastructure; 5. Markets, merchants and morality; 6. The limits of ancient globalisation.

'At a time when noisy attempts to redraw the battle lines in the field of ancient economic history are being made elsewhere, this short volume provides an invaluable service. … Neville Morley is a well-qualified and genial guide. His great strength for this kind of task, as he has shown in his previous books, is in his combination of a lucid and engaging style with theoretical sophistication and a healthy dose of sound sense. … this is an excellent introduction to ancient economic history in general as well as to one specific aspect.' Journal of Hellenic Studies