Trade and traffic

But how do you make a living by trading wine?

Early Neolithic wine producers would transport wine down river to market in reed boats covered by animal hides. Since these boats were unable to travel up river, they would bring along a donkey to transport goods received in exchange for their precious cargo of wine.

At some time, however, a more uniform package had to be created in order to facilitate transactions. The amphora was a uniform 39-litre size, capable of holding olive oil, wine or “garum” (a fermented fish sauce condiment prized by the Romans). The amphora’s pointed base was designed to be driven into a bed of sand in the hull of the ship, and their handles were then roped together to create a secure cargo that didn’t shift in high seas. Amphorae remained in use right up to the seventh century.

There is a divergence of opinion as to which culture invented the amphora. An example has been discovered in China that dates back to 4,000 B.C. In the Western world, it seems to have originated on the Syrian shoreline around 3,500 B.C. in an area controlled by the Canaanites (predecessors of the more famous seafaring Phoenicians). Greek traders would later realize that amphorae allowed wine to be produced in more fertile regions like the southern coast of France—and ship it back to an appreciative home market.

The pragmatic Romans, of course, perfected this trading scheme. Once Pax Romana was established, vines were introduced to France, Spain and eventually Germany. We can thank the Romans for the establishing the wine regions we now know as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Mosel, and Jerez. New methods of bulk transportation continued to be introduced. The clever Celts invented the wooden barrel in the second century, to keep up with the thirst of the Roman masses.

To make a living by trading, you need to keep up with the latest market technology.