trade:
Silk was prized in the Byzantine Empire and courts. There were many quantities of silk in the Middle East, but not much of out the region, which made it a valuable trade item for the Byzantine Empire. Over to the left is a picture of what the silk would look like when it was traded.
Spices and incense were also traded in the Byzantine Empire. However, the main driving trade of the common people who couldn't afford the silk was of pottery lined with Greek writing called ostraka. This type of pottery were important because they included information about everyday life such as receipts, letters, and information about politics and government.