ABSTRACT
The creation of metallic coins for money is an unmistakable hallmark of formal commerce. The technology of commerce consisted of many levels of tools, techniques, and knowledge. One may begin with the technology of transportation on land and sea. The vessels developed for commerce had to be appropriate to the riverain and oceanic waterways, but also benefited from developments enabling the carrying and preservation of steadily larger loads. Christianity was unusual among the new religions in that its ties to commerce were slow to grow. New ideas came not only from geniuses and brilliant inventors, but also from the commerce of ideas and the linkage of innovations in the course of daily life. Commerce, too, served particularly the needs of elite strata, but it was more likely to bring benefits to common people in the short run, and its connections shared benefits rather widely over the long run.
