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Of mice and merchants: connectedness and the location of economic activity in the Iron Age

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  • Bakker, Jan
  • Maurer, Stephan
  • Pischke, Jorn-Steffen
  • Rauch, Ferdinand

Abstract

We study the causal relationship between geographic connectedness and development using one of the earliest massive trade expansions: the first systematic crossing of open seas in the Mediterranean during the time of the Phoenicians. We construct a geography based measure of connectedness along the shores of the sea. We relate connectedness to economic activity, which we measure using the presence of archaeological sites. We find an association between better connected locations and archaeological sites during the Iron Age, at a time when sailors began to cross open water routinely on a big scale. We corroborate these findings at world level.

Suggested Citation

  • Bakker, Jan & Maurer, Stephan & Pischke, Jorn-Steffen & Rauch, Ferdinand, 2020. "Of mice and merchants: connectedness and the location of economic activity in the Iron Age," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103007, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:103007
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    Cited by:

    1. Marczinek, Max & Maurer, Stephan & Rauch, Ferdinand, 2022. "Trade Persistence and Trader Identity - Evidence from the Demise of the Hanseatic League," CEPR Discussion Papers 16957, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Hornbeck, Richard & Michaels, Guy & Rauch, Ferdinand, 2024. "Identifying Agglomeration Shadows: Long-run Evidence from Ancient Ports," CEPR Discussion Papers 19182, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Stephan Maurer & Ferdinand Rauch, 2023. "Economic geography aspects of the Panama Canal," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 75(1), pages 142-162.
    4. Hanlon, W.Walker & Heblich, Stephan, 2022. "History and urban economics," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    5. Bosker, Maarten, 2022. "City origins," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    6. Lin, Jeffrey & Rauch, Ferdinand, 2022. "What future for history dependence in spatial economics?," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    7. Marius Klein & Ferdinand Rauch, 2023. "Market Access and the Arrow of Time," CESifo Working Paper Series 10279, CESifo.
    8. Jerch, Rhiannon L. & Phaneuf, Daniel J., 2024. "Cities and water quality," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    9. Kitamura, Shuhei & Lagerlöf, Nils-Petter, 2021. "Cities, Conflict, and Corridors," OSF Preprints cfrzs, Center for Open Science.
    10. Andrew Dickens & Nils‐Petter Lagerlöf, 2023. "The long‐run agglomeration effects of early agriculture in Europe," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 61(3), pages 629-651, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    urbanization; locational fundamentals; trade;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence

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