In 2011 during a study tour of Sobata (Shivta), a debate took place concerning the likelihood that the central Negev settlements of Elusa, Sobata, Oboda, Ruheiba and Nessana (fig. 1) were significant partners in the trade of prestige Gaza wines during the 5th and 6th c. A.D. I challenged the participants as to whether these sites’ production facilities were of sufficient magnitude to produce a wine surplus for shipping across the Roman world and whether the transport of a bulk product in relatively heavy amphoras to the seaports at Gaza and Ashqelon c.100-120 km distant was both physically feasible and economically viable in the absence of paved roads. This paper will analyse a series of factors, including demography, agricultural technology, wine production capacity and transport possibilities to evaluate the region’s potential and the likelihood of these settlements playing a part in the wine trade of Gaza and Ashqelon.

中文翻译：

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中央内盖夫定居点是加沙葡萄酒的供应商还是进口商？

2011 年，在索巴塔 (Shivta) 考察期间，就埃卢萨 (Elusa)、索巴塔 (Sobata)、奥博达 (Oboda)、鲁黑巴 (Ruheiba) 和内萨纳 (Nessana) 等内盖夫中部定居点 (图 1) 是否可能成为加沙著名葡萄酒贸易的重要合作伙伴进行了辩论。 5世纪和6世纪。AD I 向参与者提出质疑，这些地点的生产设施是否足以生产过剩的葡萄酒以运往罗马世界，以及是否将相对较重的双耳瓶中的散装产品运输到加沙和阿什凯隆的海港C在没有铺砌道路的情况下，0.100-120 公里的距离在物理上和经济上都是可行的。本文将分析一系列因素，包括人口统计、农业技术、葡萄酒生产能力和运输可能性，以评估该地区的潜力以及这些定居点在加沙和阿什凯隆葡萄酒贸易中发挥作用的可能性。