Exports and Imports in Mauretania Tingitana

Abstract

This chapter re-examines the model of the ‘Circle of the Straits’ developed by M. Tarradell in the 1960s and recently reasserted by Brent Shaw, which sees the province of Mauretania Tingitana as relatively isolated from the Mediterranean economy, and having close links only to Baetica, across the Straits of Gibraltar. Using evidence from excavations at Thamusida, and other recent work in Morocco on the production and export of olive oil and of marine resources (salted fish and fish-sauce products), it is argued that although most of the province lay outside the Straits of Gibraltar, it was nevertheless fully linked into to a Mediterranean economy. We glimpse a certain amount of Roman dirigisme, and apparently participation of the army in this exploitation of the Gharb for the good of Rome; but also intensive production of olive oil and fish sauce as a market-based way of making money for the local elites.