Pompeii was well positioned for trade due to its harbor and access to the Mediterranean and Sarno River. While Pompeii exported wine, olive oil, and garum, exports were limited and production small-scale. Traders transported Pompeian goods and imported items like lamps, pottery, oil, and wine from other regions to Pompeii for sale.

1. The Economy: Trade, Commerce,
Industries & Occupations

2. Trade
• The majority of
archaeological evidence of
Pompeian imports and
exports comes from pottery
• Pompeii was ideally
positioned for trade
• Harbour facilities gave
access to the
Mediterranean shipping
and the Sarno River gave
access to the smaller towns
around Campania
• Luxury villas around the
Bay of Naples could be
reached by boat or road

3. Trade
• Although goods of Pompeian origin have been found throughout the Roman
Empire, the products Mediterranean regions have been discovered within the city
itself
• The evidence suggests that import/export trade was extensive
• Recent investigations of Pompeian pottery show that export of Pompeian products
was limited, the most well known exports were wine, olive oil and garum

4. Trade
• Workshop production was
on a small scale , only a
few goods were produced
for export
• Producers in Pompeii
traded their wares with
negotiatores, in exchange
for goods from other
regions of the empire
• Thus Pompeian goods
were transported from one
location to another for sale

5. Trade
• Traders in both Puteoli and Rome were responsible for the distribution of
Pompeian products throughout the empire
• Pottery analysis shows that Pompeians imported a limited range of goods:
– Lamps from the northern parts of Italy
– Pottery from Gaul
– Oil from southern Spain
– Wine from Sicily, Spain and Crete