Ancient coins redraw the map of Europe's economic power after Rome

Researchers used hundreds of thousands of ancient coins to map trade and wealth across Europe and the Middle East from the 4th to 10th centuries. They found that economic power shifted away from the Mediterranean much earlier than previously understood, moving towards Atlantic regions like Islamic Spain and northwestern Europe.

Historians have long debated how the Roman Empire's collapse reshaped Europe's economy. This paper uses a new method to show that the economic center of gravity moved west, not just east, and centuries earlier than many thought. It means our understanding of the 'Dark Ages' might need a significant update.