L’approdo di San Marco e la circolazione delle merci lungo le rotte marittime-tardo-repubblicane

Chapter Six provides a comprehensive exploration of maritime trade routes in the western Mediterranean during the late Republican period, coinciding with the zenith of the Roman villa of San Marco. It delves into the island of Elba’s significance within the network of commercial transmarine traffic. A novel study, alongside a refined classification of the amphorae recovered from the wreck of Capo Sant’Andrea, previously examined in the 1980s, has been conducted. This study offers a meticulous comparison with the amphorae discovered at San Marco, shedding light on their origins and trade routes. Moreover, attention is directed towards investigating the remnants of a potential harbour area situated in front of the villa, which likely facilitated commercial exchanges to and from the island (§ 6.1). Archaeometric analyses of Dressel 1 type amphorae recovered from the wreck of Sant’Andrea, juxtaposed with those from the villa of San Marco, aim to delineate their production area and trace the probable route taken by the wreck. This underscores the vital significance of cross-studies between underwater and terrestrial archaeological sites. The analyses suggest a likely origin from northern Campania, particularly the Minturno area, consistent with previous archaeometric findings regarding opus d pottery found at the villa. Notably, the Minturno region’s association with the gens Valeria suggests they had a direct involvement in transmarine trade and production (§ 6.2).