Oil, Amphorae, and Empire: How Olive Oil Fueled the Greco-Roman World

A deep dive into how olive oil moved from a luxury indulgence to a pillar of imperial power. We trace the long arc from grove investment to Archimedes’ screw-driven presses, and from the Dressel 20 amphora to standardized stamping and tituli picti that served as ancient supply-chain checkpoints. Follow oil from Baetica to Rome, the staggering throughput of ships, the Monti Testaccio waste as a record of consumption, and the grain-and-oil dole that linked trade to governance. A look at how logistics, administration, and simple vessels created vast, connected empires.

Note:  This podcast was AI-generated, and sometimes AI can make mistakes.  Please double-check any critical information.

Sponsored by Embersilk LLC