A practical window into early global trade, coins, and measures that shaped commerce.
This edition presents a concise, firsthand look at how markets, currencies, and accounting worked across major European ports, from Rome to Venice and beyond. It offers a clear window into the tools merchants used to navigate costs, exchanges, and international deals.
The book surveys the universal methods, current coins, and the real and imaginary coins of accounts that governed trade in various regions. Readers will see how weights and measures varied by place, how exchange rates were calculated, and how merchants kept track of profits across distant markets. The writing centers on practical details that helped traders understand value, trade routes, and the flow of goods.
- Learn how different regions measured and valued goods, from corn and oils to fabrics and wine
- See how money and weights were standardized (or not) across major city-states and trading hubs
- Discover how exchange rates influenced journeys by sea and land
- Get a sense of the daily realities and decisions faced by merchants in a bustling, interconnected world
Ideal for readers of historical economics, maritime trade, and the everyday work of merchants in early modern Europe.