Hárshegyi Piroska: Kereskedők Sallában 2. (Zalalövő öröksége 4. Zalalövő, 2006)
from the area of Palestine to the distant regions of the Roman Empire. Trading A mphoras produced in various workshops can be found in any region of the Roman Empire because of the high demand for the goods which they contained. However, economic efficiency and trends determined by supply and demand played just as important role in this regard as in the case of Samian wares. The appearance of amphoras in the early phase of Pannónia marks Romanisation as well. We do not know of an amphora producing workshop in this province. The Roman soldiers stationed here demanded the wines, oils, fruits and fish food that were common culinary goods in other parts of the Empire. They belonged to the everyday supply of the army. Opposite to the accepted ideas that the Roman soldiers for meagre food, or that they only got vegetarian meals, the diet was varied in the army Records on military forts (like the socalled Vindolanda tablets) and the bones found during excavations show that a very diverse diet can be expected. Swan, water and land snails, bivalves, heron, river and sea fishes, sometimes dolphin and whale were also consumes (e.g. in the forts of Deva and Vindonissa) beside domesticated animals. The widest variety of fruits and vegetables were eaten. The dishes were seasoned with honey, salt and pepper. This latter one was not really cheap since it had to be imported from Asia, yet even soldiers of lower ranks had access to it. It can be read on the above-mentioned Vindolanda tablets that catering wines (acetum, vinum), fish sauces (mainly muria), oil {oleum) and olives (olivae) for the inhabitants of the forts was a daily routine. Naturally, high-ranked officers, commandants, and traders, who took part in the trading transaction were the ones who could afford more expensive Aegean wines, high-quality garum and more exotic fruits. They could organise the import of these products. In the case of Salla, the route of the transport was given. The Amber Route started from Aquileia and the town was established on this route and it stayed here even after the army had left. Ships loaded with trading goods arrived in Aquileia from many parts of the Mediterranean. Amphoras filled with Istrian and Baetica oils, Aegean and Northern Italian wines, Hispánián fish sauces, Italian olives got to Pannónia through this distribution depot. We can find refuse heaps built of amphoras beside every larger trading centre since the cargo arriving from the sea was often portioned and sold in smaller quantities.
