Roman Cultural Influence in Western Germania Magna

Abstract

This chapter examines Roman cultural influence in Barbaricum east of the Rhine and north of the Danube, with particular emphasis on whether ‘regular trade’ existed between the Roman provinces and Barbaricum. It also considers the non-material influences and ‘imports’ that were adopted by the people living beyond the border. The chapter begins with an overview of import/export trade between Barbaricum and Roman Germany, along with the role of Roman negotiatores in bringing goods from their places of production to the great cities along the Rhine and Danube. It then looks at the goods that were exchanged between Barbaricumand the Roman provinces, as well as the infrastructure through which these goods were transported. It describes the legal settings of Roman trade in Barbaricum, and concludes by analysing a selection of ‘intangible imports’ and considering whether their main function is representation of status.