Economy of Hellenistic, Roman and Early Byzantine Settlement in Jiyeh (Porphyreon), Lebanon

Abstract

Regular excavations of the ancient settlement in Jiyeh on the Phoenician coast, carried out by the Polish-Lebanese mission since 2008, as well as results of some earlier archaeological investigations there, allowed to discuss various aspects of economic activity of the local population in the Hellenistic, Roman and Early Byzantine times. The obtained materials justify putting forward several hypotheses concerning the agri¬culture, crafts and trade carried out by the inhabitants of the settlement. It seems that olive oil and wine, together with the locally manufactured coarse pottery vessels and other products, sold within the territory of the neighbouring towns (Sidon and Berytus), could have been the main source of profit allowing the inhabitants to purchase imported goods, such as fine pottery and marbles coming from different parts of the Mediterra¬nean. Moreover, the settlement in Jiyeh, due to its favourable geographical location, may have played an important intermediary role in the trade exchange between the villages located to the east, on the slopes of Mount Lebanon, and urban centres along the Mediterranean coastline