Roman Pottery: Fine-Ware Imports

Athenian Agora

by John Hayes

Examples of Roman period red-gloss and red-slip pottery (terra sigillata) found during excavations in the Athenian Agora form the focus of this volume. These fine wares, like the other table wares of the first seven centuries A.D. discussed here, were all imported; a very different situation to earlier periods where Athens was known as a great ceramic-making center, and perhaps the result of mass destruction of potters' workshops during the Sullan sack of 86 B.C. While the image of a demolished pottery industry is tragic, the consequent conglomeration of fine-wares from many parts of the Roman empire in one city makes the Athenian Agora a tremendous source of comparanda for archaeologists working all round the Mediterranean. Written by the world's leading expert on Roman pottery, this huge catalogue illustrating and identifying multiple shapes and types of decoration will therefore be an essential reference book.

386 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 2008