Caroline Cheung. Dolia: The Containers that Made Rome an Empire of Wine.
Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2024. 301 pp. $55.00, cloth, ISBN
978-0-691-24300-9.

Reviewed by Sarah Mady (Fordham University)
Published on H-Material-Culture (August, 2024)
Commissioned by Jennifer M. Black (Misericordia University)
When we imagine the Roman period, images

Dolia were used in the warmer Mediter‐of grand monuments and supersized architectureranean regions as they provided controlled tem‐come to mind, from the large Jupiter temple inperatures and humidity levels for the wine. Ch‐

Baalbek to the Colosseum in Rome. It is thus sur‐eung examines them between 200 BCE and 200 CE

prising that dolia have been left out of Roman

in west-central Italy, and has structured this bookstudies. These enormous jars can hold up to three

to follow a dolium's biography and life cycle. Each

thousand liters of wine and were used and reused

chapter recounts how dolia were made and used

for centuries. Caroline Cheung, in Dolia: The Con‐on rural farms and in cosmopolitan cities, howtainers that Made Rome and Empire of Winethey were buried in the soil and transported on(2024), demonstrates how dolia can provide in‐ships, and eventually, how they were repurposed

formation on Roman wine and its trade as she

into other objects and ultimately discarded. The

presents to us the life of a dolium from its concep‐

book concludes with two appendices: the first in‐tion to its repairs, reuse, and abandonment. Ch‐

cludes tables with dimensions and other signific‐

eung argues that dolia not only emerged during

ant data, and the second is an excerpt from a cata‐Rome’s expansion and long-distance trade butlogue, presenting full descriptions of select dolia.

even “propelled it” (p. 9). As a classicist and an ar‐

The appendices are an excellent source for any

chaeologist, she presents compelling evidence

scholar interested in detailed descriptions of dolia,

from a range of textual sources and material cul‐

and a necessary addition to Cheung’s analysis.

ture. Using archaeological data, statistics, andmeasurements, Cheung takes us beyond the num‐bers as she weaves stories about dolia owners, in‐vestors, and workers.

The first chapter introduces the reader to thetime period, explains the data collection and ana‐
lysis, and outlines the book's chapters. In chapter
2, Cheung analyzes the ethnoarchaeological re‐H-Net Reviews

cord, and from stamps, names, and symbols, sheships were built for the sole purpose of transport‐

unravels stories of enslaved potters such as Cor‐ing wine in dolia that were cemented into the hull.

inthus, a slave who ascended the ranks and over‐To keep up with this fast-growing trade, farmers

saw the production lines of dolia (pp. 41-42). Thein Gaul and Iberia started producing more wine

author also demonstrates how imperial, senatori‐

for faster sales. There, where the harvest wasal, and upper-class families had access to fluvial

earlier and the climate colder, dolia had to be lar‐ports, boats, and other methods to trade wine andger to protect the wine from the changing temper‐

dolia. After learning about the people behind

atures.

these enormous artifacts, chapter 3 examines

While on rural farms, dolia were used mainly

dolia on farms and rural areas. Here, Cheung ex‐

for fermentation and then as storage, those in urb‐

plains in detail the advantages and disadvantages

an centers were used mainly for storage as theyof owning dolia for both poor and rich families.

contributed to urban economic growth. In chapter

Although owning dolia brought much revenue, it

6, Cheung explores dolia in three urban com‐

was an expensive endeavor. The gas emitted frommunities: Cosa, Pompeï; Ostia; and Rome. Rome

the wine fermentation could cause the enormousand Ostia were considered the warehouses of thevessels to break, making its maintenance costlyworld. However, they were not agricultural towns,and risky. However, owning dolia greatly im‐

and their dolia were used for storage, rather thanproved a family’s wealth, and these oversized ves‐

for fermentation. Here, the author paints vivid im‐

sels soon became central to Roman conspicuous

ages and stories of the city and its inhabitants. We

consumption and production. This allowed thecan almost hear the cart traffic, the busy storage

wealthy to turn their urban cella vinaria (similarrooms, and the cellar attendants arguing and en‐

to a wine cellar) into symbols of prestige andsuring the wine does not spoil.

abundance. Cheung vividly describes the lavish

Dolia maintenance was as challenging as their

parties where the wealthy displayed their art, or‐production, and people opted to repair themnamental gardens, and thousands of liters of wine

rather than replace them. In chapters 7 and 8, Ch‐

stored in large dolia.

eung focuses on dolia repair and abandonment.

In chapters 4 and 5, Cheung explains an eco‐

She explains how some were mended during pro‐system in which dolia operated. Although otherduction to prevent further cracks and breakage.

means of transporting and storing wine existed,

Others were fixed whenever required, and manysuch as animal hides and vessels known as am‐were discarded as repairing them became a larger

phorae, these two methods were only used forinvestment. As some dolia were entirely aban‐smaller quantities and shorter transport. Dolia al‐

doned, others were repurposed to be used in bars,

lowed for greater quantities to travel further dis‐farms, construction, and hearths. With the decline

tances. Due to their colossal size, dolia were closerof dolia, tanker ships also declined after fifty years

to bricks than jars in production methods. Riversof transporting wine across the empire. The

were crucial to their production and movement aswooden barrel replaced the dolium; it was morethey offered clay beds and fluvial highways. Pineversatile, easier to produce, less risky, and port‐

forests were also essential to dolia as the tree res‐able. Cheung concludes with chapter 9, where shein was used to coat their inner walls, and woodpresents a succinct summary of the dolia’s life. She

was used to build the ships they were transported

also takes the opportunity to expand on some oth‐upon. While dolia defossa were buried in theer topics that she briefly mentioned throughout

ground for fermentation, the ones used in ship‐

the book, mainly concerning the people behindping were used for temporary storage. The wine

dolia, from the investors to the workers.

trade became so large-scale that dolium tanker

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H-Net Reviews

Cheung worked with a vast collection of dolia,
images, and charts and even examined artwork
mentioning and depicting dolia. Although she did
not conduct any ethnoarchaeological studies her‐self, she examined previous studies within theMediterranean region. The chapters’ structure andthe author’s storytelling style are quite engaging,making the book an enjoyable read for a broad
audience. Cheung has opened up new horizons forscholars of archaeology, anthropology, and history
to explore the topic of dolia. Similar vessels arestill in use today in extant traditional eastern
Mediterranean houses, and their study can highly
benefit from and build on Cheung’s excellent
work.
Erratum: This review was revised on August28, 2024, to correct "doila defoss" to "doila de‐fossa."—Ed.

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Citation: Sarah Mady. Review of Cheung, Caroline, Dolia: The Containers that Made Rome an Empire ofWine. H-Material-Culture, H-Net Reviews. August, 2024.
URL: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=60940

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