4. The Great Shift in Trade: From Maritime to Overland Transport

Before the 18th century, Mediterranean trade primarily relied on the maritime routes of the Adriatic, linking ports such as Durrës, Ragusa (modern-day Dubrovnik), Spalato (modern-day Split), Sebenico (modern-day Šibenik), Zara (modern-day Zadar), along with Trieste, Venice, Ancona, Livorno, Naples, and Marseille. However, the 18th century marked a significant rise in overland trade routes, connecting the Balkan interior, the borderlands of the Ottoman Empire, and the territories of the Habsburg Monarchy.

The Vlach metropolises in the mountainous regions of Epirus and Macedonia emerged as pivotal trade hubs. Merchants utilized routes that passed through the valleys of the Aliakmon, Axios, and Morava rivers, followed the riverside roads along the Danube, and extended their networks into Serbia, Hungary, and Austria.

The Danube river

The Danube, flowing through ten European countries, has long been a waterway of immense political and economic importance. Its navigable waters powered trade, while the numerous ports along its banks breathed life into the riverside cities of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Serving as both a boundary and a bridge, a vital transport route, a source of longing, and a wellspring of artistic inspiration, the Danube endures as a timeless symbol of interconnected nations, cultures, and languages.