Resumen de Commercial networks between the Byzantine Empire and Europe, including the British Isles
- español
En la literatura sobre Bizancio se suelen analizar los fenómenos históricos tal como se produjeron a lo largo del eje Este-Oeste de su territorio. Lo que propone mi artículo es una alternativa a este enfoque. Debido a la necesidad de circulación de mercancías entre el Mediterráneo y el Mar del Norte, se construyeron caminos para unir ambos, y por estos tanto mercancías (textiles, objetos de metal, etc.) como objetos culturales como manuscritos, marfil para cubiertas de libros, pigmentos para pintura, etc.
fueron transportados. Las mismas vías y puntos de conexión dentro de una gran red fueron utilizados con fines religiosos y militares. Aporto testimonios para argumentar con fuerza que la división 'Norte-Sur' dentro del Imperio era tan importante como la división 'Este-Oeste'.
- English
In the literature concerning Byzantium usually the historical phenomena are analysed as they took place along the Eastern-Western axis of its territory. What my paper proposes is an alternative to this approach. Because of the need to circulate goods between the Mediterranean and the North Sea, roads were constructed to connect the two, and along these both merchandises (textiles, metal objects, etc.) and cultural items as manuscripts, ivory for book covers, pigments for painting, etc. were transported. The same thoroughfares and points of connection within a large network were used for religious purposes and by the military. I adduce testimonies to make a strong argument that the division ‘North-South’ within the Empire was as important as that ‘East-West’.
