Pontic History

This article examines the merchant and commodity networks of Trebizond as well as routes at the regional, interregional, and international levels that connected the city to Constantinople, the rest the Black Sea, Armenia, the Near East and the Caucuses in the early Middle Ages. After a brief survey of the commercial history of Trebizond from the late antique period to the eleventh century, the economy of the Pontic region and its commercial exchanges with various regions are investigated in detail. The available evidence shows that the list of commodities exchanged between Pontos and its neighbours were longer, and the networks of merchants and routes were more complex than assumed thus far. Trebizond's advantage as a port town for landlocked territories to its south and east (especially the large Iranian and Iraqi markets at the end of the Silk/Spice Route), as well as its close ties with Constantinople and the rest of the Black Sea, established the Pontic capital as a vital emporium. Benefiting from the increasing economic development in Byzantium and its neighbours, the prosperity of the Pontic region and is main city Trebizond is most visible in the period from the mid-ninth to the mid-eleventh centuries.

This paper deals with the origins of the despotate of Epirus and the Empire of Trebizond comparing them with the fate of other Byzantine splinter-states of the XIIth and XIIIth century and tries to draw some outlines of a future  comparison with the realities of Medieval Western Europe.

This work briefly describes the history of most of the former Orthodox churches still standing in the town of Trabzon, Turkey.  The many photographs give a visual impression of their current status.  It is so important that historic monuments in Trabzon are restored and maintained for the benefit of future generations.

In the Black Sea region of Turkey, ‘mad honey’ is produced from the nectar of the Rhododendron ponticum or the Rhododendron luteum which contain grayanotoxin and is consumed as folk medicine.  Poisoning due to its consumption has been known for over 2,400 years in Pontos, in north-east Anatolia.  Today, people are still admitted to hospital with ‘mad honey’ poisoning, especially from the wider Black Sea region of Turkey.  Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, confusion, low blood pressure and low heart rate.  More research is needed on ‘mad honey’ poisoning and its antioxidant qualities.

This speech dealt with the origins of the despotate of Epirus and the Empire of Trebizond comparing them with the fate of other Byzantine splinter-states of the XIIth and XIIIth century and tried to draw some outlines of a future comparison with the realities of Medieval Western Europe.