Origins of the European Economy: Communications and Commerce AD 300–900

Commerce, communications and the origins of the European economy Part I. The End of the World: 1. The end of the ancient world 2. Late Roman industry: case studies in decline 3. Land and river communications in late antiquity 4. Sea change in late antiquity The end of the ancient economy: a provisional balance sheet Part II. People on the Move 5. A few western faces 6. Two hundred more envoys and pilgrims: group portrait 7. Byzantine faces 8. Easterners heading west: group portrait 9. Traders, slaves, and exiles People on the move Part III. Things that Travelled: 10. Hagiographical horizons: collecting exotic relics in early medieval France 11. 'Virtual' coins and communications 12. 'Real money': Arab and Byzantine coins around Carolingian Europe Things on the move Part IV. The Patterns of Change: 13. The experience of travel 14. Secular rhythms: communications over time 15. Seasonal rhythms 16. Time under way 17. 'Spaces of sea': Europe's western Mediterranean communications 18. Venetian breakthrough: Europe's central Mediterranean communications 19. New overland routes The patterns of change Part V. Commerce: 20. Early medieval trading worlds 21. Where are the merchants?: Italy 22. Merchants and markets of Frankland 23. Connections 24. Where are the wares?: eastern imports to Europe 25. European exports to Africa and Asia At the origins of the European economy Appendices Bibliography.