Stationesand Associations of Merchants at Puteoli and Delos

A recent study challenges the traditional view of 'stationes' as official Roman outposts, revealing them instead as integral to the social and economic networks of eastern merchants who resided permanently in western ports like Puteoli and Delos. By analyzing these structures within the context of voluntary associations, the research demonstrates that stationes functioned as hubs for cross-cultural trade and community organization, blending formal institutional roles with informal merchant networks. The study employs comparative analysis of archaeological and historical sources to highlight how these stations operated as dynamic intermediaries between Roman administrative systems and foreign merchant communities.

Steuernagel, D. (2020). Stationesand Associations of Merchants at Puteoli and Delos. Roman Port Societies, 63–84. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108665278.003