The Historical Network Research Lunch Lectures continue in 2022! Bi-monthly online lectures will shed a spotlight on recent research and ideas from the field of historical network analysis to promote discussion among the HNR community.

The new year will be kicked off with a lecture by Erik Horning and Allard Mees. Prof. Horning is Full Professor of Economic History at the University of Cologne and Dr. Mees is an archaeologist at the Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum Mainz, where he is head of the scientific IT department.

You can find their abstract below or on the HNR website. The lecture will take place on January 20, 2022 (12-1 pm CET). If you would like to participate, please register via Eventbrite before January 18, 2021. You will receive a Zoom link by email prior to the lunch lecture.

Roman Transport Network Connectivity and Economic Integration

We show that the creation of the first integrated multi-modal pan-European transport network during Roman times influences economic integration over two millennia. Drawing on spatially highly disaggregated data on excavated Roman ceramics, we document that contemporary interregional trade was influenced by connectivity within the network. Today, these connectivity differentials continue to influence integration as approximated by cross-regional firm investment behaviour. Continuity is partly explained by selective infrastructure routing and cultural integration due to bilateral convergence in preferences and values. We show that our results are Roman-connectivity specific and do not reflect pre-existing patterns of exchange using pre-Roman trade data.

*Based on our paper: Flückiger, Matthias, Erik Hornung, Mario Larch, Markus Ludwig, and Allard Mees. “Roman transport network connectivity and economic integration.” (forthcoming). Review of Economic Studies. https://doi.org/10.1093/restud/rdab036

We wish you a happy holiday season and we look forward to welcoming you online in the new year!

Best wishes,

Aline Deicke and Ingeborg van Vugt

contact: events@historicalnetworkresearch.org.

Bilateral trade flows in Terra Sigillata during Roman Era Figure maps trade flow shares of terra sigillata between grid-cell pairs. Each colour is specific to one origin grid cell.