Coinage and Commerce: The Cosmopolitan Monetary Supply of Late Roman Egypt

This talk is based on my current book project, which explores the level of economic integration between the province of Egypt and the rest of the Roman Empire during the fourth century CE, just after the reforms of Diocletian. Analyzing monetary circulation patterns within and beyond the province prove that Egypt not only had a positive balance of trade, but also that its monetary supply clearly shows an unparalleled level of economic prowess. Furthermore, the coinage evidence demonstrate that the province was not only well-integrated, but also that its economy, dictated by its geography and agricultural profile, was unparalleled in the Roman world. Thus, I argue that Egypt was the most economically important province of the Roman Empire, and therefore that its evidence, whether from papyri or archaeology, can and should inform our studies of the wider Roman world at large.

Reception to follow.