Trade and taxes

In the Gallo-Roman period, rivers were true trade routes. Barges carried goods, but also wealth, taxes and information. Trade was regulated, monitored and sometimes taxed. Thanks to archaeology, objects and remains now make it possible to better understand how products, money and goods circulated along waterways.

Transporting and storing goods

Products circulated in suitable containers that protected the goods and made handling easier. Clay amphorae were used to transport wine, oil or sauces. Wooden barrels were also widely used. Strong and reusable, they were well suited to river transport.

Paying and exchanging

Trade relied on the use of money. The Romans used different coins made of bronze, silver or gold. Coin hoards, sometimes buried or lost, bear witness to these exchanges. Portable scales could be used to check the weight and value of coins. There were also counterfeit coins: their manufacture and circulation show that transactions required vigilance and control.

Trade under the protection of the gods

Trade was placed under the protection of Mercury, god of commerce, travellers and messengers. He was often depicted with a purse (a symbol of wealth), a caduceus (a staff entwined with snakes) and a goat. Merchants could make offerings to him to favour their business and ensure the success of their transactions.

Drawing caption: The god Mercury.

@ M. Quercig

Checking, sealing and taxing

Trade was closely monitored by the Roman administration. Certain goods had to be declared and were subject to taxes, especially when passing control points such as ports or bridges. To guarantee the integrity of cargoes, lead seals were attached: they certified that no goods had been opened or diverted. Amphorae were often sealed and marked to indicate their origin, contents or destination.

Drawing caption: Taxation of goods during unloading.

@ M. Destrée