El asno y la nave: La economía mediterránea de 950 al 1180

by Chris Wickham, Tomás Fernández Aúz (translator)

Escrito por el prestigioso medievalista Chris Wickham, este trabajo presenta una tesis original que revisa y rebate todo lo escrito sobre la economía de los siglos X-XII en el entorno mediterráneo.

Chris Wickham ofrece una reinterpretación extraordinariamente rica de la economía mediterránea entre los años 950 y 1180. Esta obra magna destinada a convertirse en una referencia ineludible para futuros historiadores, invita a los lectores a repensar por completo la lógica subyacente a los sistemas económicos medievales, así como la propia concepción que tenemos de la época en su conjunto. Basada en cinco estudios exhaustivos de casos regionales desde Italia hasta Egipto, su tesis marca un cambio de paradigma respecto a lo que conocíamos: fue a orillas del Mediterráneo donde en realidad la economía fundada en la época romana tuvo continuidad. La dinámica del sistema económico medieval combinaba redes internas (el recorrido a lomos del asno) y rutas de intercambio (el viaje en la nave). Y por último, tópicos como el oscurantismo se demuestran como obsoletos, al estar basados en datos incompletos. A través de la arqueología disponible en la actualidad, Wickham revela cómo funcionaban realmente las relaciones entre las economías de la época medieval e ilumina una nueva comprensión sobre ella.

Genres: History, Medieval, Economics, Nonfiction, Italy, Historical, Spain

1164 pages, Paperback

Published February 26, 2025

About the author

"Chris Wickham is Chichele Professor of Medieval History, and Faculty Board Chair 2009-12.

I have been at Oxford since 2005. Previously, I was Lecturer (1977), Senior Lecturer (1987), Reader (1988), and from 1995 Professor of Early Medieval History, University of Birmingham; and I was an undergraduate and postgraduate at Keble College, Oxford, from 1968 to 1975.

I am a Fellow of the British Academy, a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales, and a socio of the Accademia dei Lincei."

Reviews

[Andrés CM · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Recientemente ha visto la luz en nuestro país el último trabajo del prestigioso medievalista Chris Wickham: El asno y la nave, publicado por la editorial Crítica. Se trata de un monumental estudio que revisa y rebate todo los escrito sobre la economía de los siglos X-XII en el entorno mediterráneo. En concreto, Wickham fija su mirada en cinco casos regionales: Italia, Egipto, Sicilia, al-Ándalus y Bizancio".
RESEÑA COMPLETA: https://atrapadaenunashojasdepapel.bl...

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot about the progress of history, especially Western Civilization, as I was growing up.

One way to illustrate progress was with the ships first of explorers (Phoenicians, Minoans, Greeks) then of traders which traveled throughout the Mediterranean. Trade progressed from the donkey-laden local stuffs that kept peasants fed; trade developed from ships that ultimately carried luxury goods between elites.

In the Donkey and the Boat, Chris Wickham combines historical documents with current archeological finds to examine the surprising breadth of those laden donkeys. Even in remote corners of places like Spain, Northern Africa, and Sicily, peasants' broken pieces of pottery reveal that poor people could often afford pottery made from broad regions. In many places, there was enough pay for farmers and farm tenants to purchase wares from far away. Besides, many inland places traded with each other instead of back and forth to the seaside.

I really enjoyed the historical documents, such as the genitsa of Jewish traders, as well as the archeological finds. Good book.

[Nikhil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here Wickham tries to place the "efflorescence" of the Mediterranean economy during the High Middle Ages into its proper perspective by examining the centuries which preceded it. He hones in on six areas: Egypt, North Africa, the Byzantine Aegean, Sicily, Iberia, and Northern Italy. Other places come into the picture as needed, but only in a superficial way. He has a strong command of not just documentary sources but also archeology. His central thesis, stressing the importance of local production and demand as opposed to interregional trade, is quite reasonable. Plus points for his historiographical commentary, though his own theorizing is a bit weaker.

[Garrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should admit I did not finish this book and most of it was due to the authors antiquated language. He consistently uses words as "crafty" and "clever" to describe the merchants. This wouldn't ordinarily be a problem except that most of the people he's describing are Jewish- a people who are often stereotyped as being sly and dishonest. It was enough of a bad taste to distract me from the book and I couldn't finish it.

[Jane Holmstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a good read if you REALLY enjoy the medieval period, economics, and the evolution of Mediterranean trade (which I do). I've read other books by Chris Wickham and liked his style; however, this one sometimes gets lost in all of his asides. Overall, it's really interesting and brings about some interesting ideas.

[Timothy Haggerty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

Didn't know anything about this time frame and area. I feel much more enlightened now. I found it a slow read with so many footnotes to explore.