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Grain was the basic source of food for the population. According to an anonymous source of the fourth century A.D., under Augustus Egypt sent 20,000,000 modii of grain each year to Rome -- that is, about 140,000 tonnes. According to Flavius Josephus, during Nero’s reign Egyptian grain fed Rome for four months. Each year 60,000,000 modii of grain had to reach Rome by sea -- in other words, 420,000 tonnes or 525,000,000 litres.

In Nero’s time, the arrival of the grain fleet from Alexandria during the month of June was welcomed as an event of great importance. The merchant ships were escorted by warships and preceded by tabellariae ships, which announced the arrival of the fleet which would release the populace from hunger. Seneca has left us a dramatic description of the excitement that would overcome the crowds in the port of Pozzuoli, in the Campania region.

In addition to grain, wine constituted another widely consumed product, as did oil, which was not only used for food but also for lighting and for massage in the public baths. Furthermore, a type of fish sauce, garum, was much used in the Roman kitchen. In addition to these food products, metal products were transported by sea, including iron bars and ingots of copper or lead. Finally, all sorts of luxury products flowed to the capital: rare animals for the circus games; polychrome marbles from Africa and Asia Minor, and granites from Egypt; spices and silk from the Far East.

Unfortunately all of these products of primary necessity, being perishable, have not reached us. Nonetheless, they were transported in containers which were indestructible because they were made of terracotta (baked clay): amphorae. Thanks to their recoveries, often in fragmentary condition, both in shipwrecks and land excavations, it has been possible to reconstruct several maritime routes.