These products, especially in demand in Rome, are among the luxury dinnerware of the Mediterranean world. Amphorae, thought to have been produced on some islands in the Aegean, were also found in the shipwreck. Finds pointing to different production centers reveal the diversity of the cargo carried by the ship.
The historical importance of Arsuz ceramics is further enhanced by their mention in the correspondence of the Roman orator and statesman Cicero. In a letter written to his friend Atticus in 50 BC, Cicero describes ordering ceramic vessels for him from Rhosus. This correspondence indicates that tableware produced in the region was known and preferred in the Roman world.
