Blurb:

The Balearic Islands lie in a strategic position for navigation and trade in the western Mediterranean, as was recognized by ancient populations of the Mediterranean basin. Over the centuries, maritime routes have facilitated the movement of goods, people, and ideas between the Balearics Islands and other territories. This paper offers an overview of how contact between Balearic society and different Mediterranean powers from the Roman period to the end of antiquity resulted in a series of transformations of local communities, settlement patterns, and landscapes. Another section of the paper is focused on how Christianity transformed landscapes, settlement patterns, beliefs, and mindscapes of local society. The role of maritime and terrestrial routes in the Christianization process and the agency of monastic communities within Mediterranean trade and the redistribution of goods to local communities are also addressed.