the encyclopedia of ancient history || fish, fishing, byzantine
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Fish, fishing, ByzantineMACIEJ KOKOSZKO
From the seventh century CE the Pontic region
and the Aegean were the main sources of fish
for Byzantium. No dramatic change had
occurred in fishing technology since antiquity.
Boats were still small, operated by an oarsman
assisted by at most two fishermen, and incapa-
ble of safe open-water voyages. The equipment
consisted of fishing rods, lines, tridents, weirs,
and nets; madragues (fish pounds) were also in
operation (Koukoules 1952: 332–8; Gallant
1985: 13–25; Dagron 1995: 60–7). The produc-
tivity of fishing appears to have been reason-
ably good (Bekker-Nielsen 2006b; Curtis
2006), but fishing itself was frequently a part-
time job performed along with agricultural
activities. Fishermen were subject to regular
taxation. In Constantinople their produce
was sold to ichthyopratai (fishmongers), who
constituted a corporation operating in the
market on the Golden Horn (Dagron 1995:
69–70, 73).
Fish were consumed either fresh (Koukoules
1952: 79–86) or salted (Curtis 2006), supple-
menting the staples (cereals, fruit, vegetables).
Their value was discussed by dieticians. Their
role appears to have become gradually more
prominent due to religious regulations, which
excluded meat from the diet over prolonged
fasting periods (Koukoules 1952: 79; Thomas
2000; Koder 2007: 61).
It has not been proved that any genus of fish
has disappeared since the seventh century.
Bonito, mackerel, mullet (gray and red), perch,
and sprat were widely consumed (Koukoules
1952: 79–86; Dalby 2003: 66–9; Kokoszko
2005). The general population would eat the
most affordable small fry, while sturgeon, eel,
turbot, and the belly parts (hypogastria) of
tuna were luxury dishes. Seafood was also pop-
ular and deemed a delicacy, as was caviar and
botargo (preserved mullet roe) (Koukoules
1952: 35–7; Dalby 2003: 27, 59, 67, 191). Fresh-
water fish were caught wild or reared in ponds.
Salted fish were equally popular, although
a decline in preserve production is probable
(Curtis 2006: 31). Fish sauce was an appreci-
ated condiment (Kokoszko 2005: 373–4).
SEE ALSO: Fish, fishing, Greece and Rome; Fish,
fishing, Pharaonic Egypt; Medicine, Byzantine;
Medicine, Greek and Roman.
REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED READINGS
Bekker-Nielsen, T., ed. (2006a) Ancient fishing
and fish processing in the Black Sea region.
Aarhus.
Bekker-Nielsen, T. (2006b) “The technology and
productivity of ancient sea fishing.” In Bekker-
Nielsen, ed.: 87–95.
Curtis, R. I. (2006) “Sources for production and
trade of Greek and Roman processed fish.”
In Bekker-Nielsen, ed.: 31–46.
Dagron, G. (1995) “Poisson, pecheurs et
poissonniers de Constantinople.” In C. Mango
and G. Dagron, eds., Constantinople and its
hinterland: 57–73. Aldershot.
Dalby, A. (2003) Flavours of Byzantium. Totnes.
Gallant, T. W. (1985) A fisherman’s tale. Ghent.
Koder, J. (2007) “Stew and salted meat – opulent
normality in the diet of every day?” In L.
Brubaker and K. Linardou, eds., Eat, drink and be
merry (Luke 12:19): food and wine in Byzantium:
59–72. Aldershot.
Kokoszko, M. (2005) Ryby i ich znaczenie w zyciu
codziennym ludzi poznego antyku i wczesnego
Bizancjum (III-VII w.). Łodz.
Koukoules, P. (1952) Byzantinon bios kai
politismos, vol. 5. Athens.
Thomas, J. (2000) “The regulation of diet in the
Byzantine monastic foundation documents.”
In J. Thomas and A. Constantinides Hero, eds.,
Byzantine monastic foundation documents:
a complete translation of the surviving founders’
typika and testaments, vol. 5: 1696–716.
Washington.
The Encyclopedia of Ancient History, First Edition. Edited by Roger S. Bagnall, Kai Brodersen, Craige B. Champion, Andrew Erskine,
and Sabine R. Huebner, print pages 2686–2687.
© 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Published 2013 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
DOI: 10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah03088
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