Gadir, now the capital of the province of Cadiz, was founded by the Phoenicians possibly as early as the 10th or 9th century BC. Gadir, meaning 'walled city', was established as a trading post and soon flourished to become a major commerical and political entity. This study examines the history of Gadir from the 5th to 3rd century BC, its growing urbanisation, economic and political structure, ideologies, religious life and buildings, its industries, trade, and the exploitation of the rural hinterland. Eventually falling to Carthage c. 500BC and forming the bolthold from which Hannibal conquered southern Iberia, this study explores Phoenician activities and expansion in the west and at Gadir in particular. Spanish text.

Following on from the author's previous study La Elaboracion del Circulo Productivo Romano como Imperio Mediterraneo (348-218 AC), this volume presents an interpretation of the control, volume and mechanisms of trade and commerce and its significance in the political history of Rome and the Mediterranean. He examines the character of early market systems in the 4th century and the nature of trade alongside the political climate which was entering a period of ideological and conceptual change. The development of new political and social ideologies, a new state model, new codes of behaviour and the beginnings of a defined class system in Rome, are all discussed. Spanish text.

The Roman conquest of much of the west Mediterranean led to major transformations and this study discusses some aspects of the economic and political impact of such changes. Based largely on archaeological material Perez examines, for example, the Greek-Italian wine trade, major production centres in the Mediterranean, how goods from centres such as Etruria, Lazio and Campania ended up in cities recently conquered by Rome, in particular the markets and commercial routes along which products moved. Spanish text.