The document summarizes Roman fishing methods near the ancient city of Sanisera between 123 BC to 650 AD. It discusses how the city's proximity to the ocean and port enhanced trade and provided a readily available food resource. The Romans used various sustainable fishing techniques, including hook and line fishing, seining with nets, casting nets, and traps. Archaeological evidence like fishing weights, amphora used to store salted fish, and intact fishing hooks provide evidence of Roman fishing at Sanisera.

1. Ecomuseum de Cavalleria 2012
(Archaeological Field School)
Session #5 – Andrew Hammond
Ancient Roman City of Sanisera

2. Roman Methods of Fishing
123 BC - ~650 AD
- Close proximity of Sanisera to the
ocean and Port Sanitja
- Enhanced Roman trade
and economy
- Readily available resource
- Sustainable

3. Roman Methods of Fishing
123 BC - ~650 AD

4. Roman Fisherman
“Each day from the city do we come out hither to the
sea to seek for forage. Instead of exertion in the
wrestling-school and the place for exercise, we have
this: sea-urchins, rock-mussels, oysters, limpets,
cockles, sea-nettles, sea-mussels and spotted crabs,
we catch. After that, we commence our fishing with
the hook and among the rocks, and thus
we take our food from out of the sea. If
success does not befall us, and not any fish
is taken, soaked in salt water and
thoroughly drenched, we quietly betake
ourselves home, and without dinner go
to sleep.” T. Maccius Plautus, Rudens 2.1

5. Evidence for Roman Fishing at
the City of Sanisera
- Lead circular fishing weights
- Sherds of Betic Amphora
which are known to have
stored salted fish
- Intact fishing hooks
- Wealth of shipwrecks and
underwater evidence

7. Roman Methods of Fishing
Four main methods known
- Hook and Line
- Seine
- Casting nets
- Traps Trastevere, Rome
- Suitability of each varied
with water conditions:
Depth, Turbulence etc.

8. Lead fishing weights
(Early Roman Period)
- Approximately ~10cm in diameter
- Around 30-50 grams in weight
- Made of lead
- Stiebel suggests that
circular lead weights were
possibly used with a
beach seine style of net

9. Beach Seine
- Operated from the shore or boat
- Created a impassable barrier
preventing the fish from
escaping

10. Bibliography
Bekker-Nielson T., Fishing in the Roman World, Ancient Nets and Fishing
Gear, University of Cadiz (Cadiz, 2007)
[http://www.pontos.dk/publications/articles/fishing-in-the-roman-world]
Stiebel G., A Hellenistic/Early Roman Shipwreck Assemblage off Ashkelon
Israel, The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology (2010)
[http://huji.academia.edu/GuyStiebel/Papers/667037/A_Hellenistic_Early
_Roman_shipwreck_assemblage_off_Ashkelon_Israel]
http://hmapcoml.org/projects/m&b/Scientific/history_
fisheries_Mediterranean_Black_Sea.html
Last Accessed: 30/7/2012
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus
:text:1999.02.0108:act=2:scene=1&highlight=fishing
Last Accessed: 1/8/2012
http://bertan.gipuzkoakultura.net/es/17/en/7.php
Last Accessed: 1/8/2012