Excavations undertaken in Alexandria, one of the leading cities in Mediterranean trade during the Hellenistic period, have resulted in a relatively large amount of amphora finds. Five hundred and eighty-eight complete or nearly complete amphorae dating from the beginning of the Hellenistic period to the 7th century ad, of which 457 have been selected for presentation here, are held in Alexandria’s Graeco-Roman Museum and stand as concrete evidence of the commercial networks of the city. Rhodian, Cnidian, Coan, Chian, Mendean, Thasian and Lesbian goods reached Alexandria during the Hellenistic period, as well as goods from Tripolitania, Carthage, the Italian peninsula, Crete, Cyprus and other eastern Mediterranean centres. Under the Pax Romana, commercial activities between Mediterranean cities increased. As a result, many amphorae found in Alexandrian excavations are evidence of Italian, Baetican and Lusitanian trade. Commercial routes then shifted to north and south with the establishment of the new imperial capital in 330 ad. Alexandria provided her needs mostly from eastern Mediterranean centres, especially from the Gazan region in LR 4 amphorae and Cilicia in LR 1 amphorae after the end of the 4th century until the Arab invasion. However, alongside the continued commercial links with Aegean islands and the Italian peninsula, amphora production in Alexandria increased during the imperial period with eventual mass production after the 4th century. This work has enjoyed the financial support of the Union Académique Internationale.

This fourth volume completes our publication of eponym dies on Rhodian amphora stamps. The volume contains 670 matrices belonging to 34 eponyms. The total in all four volumes of the series represents 5,772 matrices for 259 eponyms. We have been informed of previously unpublished matrices and we would like to thank our contributors. These new examples will be included in a volume of addenda et corrigenda, which will be published after the four forthcoming volumes of the lexicon of fabricant dies on Rhodian amphora stamps, the first of which is planned for 2018. This new series will hold more than 4,257 dies belonging to 456 different fabricants who worked over 259 years, that is, the total number of annual eponyms. Thus, we know that the total of all different matrices on amphora. Dr Gonca Cankardeş-Şenol is a professor in the Department of Archaeology, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey and a specialist in Eastern Mediterranean amphora stamps. She has published numerous works on amphora stamps found in sites of Anatolia, Rhodian Peraea and especially in Egypt. She has identified more than 10,000 Rhodian dies which can be consulted on this website

This work is the third in a four-volume lexicon of eponym dies stamped on Rhodian amphorae. It contains 1443 matrices designating 60 eponyms whose names begin with the Greek letters Lambda through Sigma. This volume represents a continuation of the matrix studies that began in 2003 in the rich Alexandrian collections of the Graeco-Roman Museum, particularly the Benaki Collection, and in finds from Alexandria excavations. The volume contains also stamps from excavations of Crocodilopolis/Arsinoe and other sites in Egypt as well as Delos island and some previously published stamps from excavations sites in other Eastern Mediterranean consumption centres.

In the matrix names, numbers do not refer to any chronological dating order. Under the title of each eponym, following some brief information (the eponymous year of the eponym, total number of matrices naming him, used/not-used month names and the names of the producers associated with him) the stamps naming him are presented, beginning with the dies accompanied by month-names (if applicable) in alphabetical order, followed by the dies without month names.

In the forthcoming fourth volume, appendices will contain Addenda et corrigenda as well as lists with eponym-producer and producer-eponym associations in alphabetical and chronological order. Additional lists will refer to matrices of eponyms accompanied by fabricant matrices seen on the same amphorae and the matrices of secondary stamps accompanying the eponym dies.

This work is the second in a four-volume lexicon of eponym dies stamped on Rhodian amphorae. It contains 1,550 matrices designating 78 eponyms whose names begin with the Greek letters Beta through Kappa. This volume represents a continuation of the matrix studies that began in 2003 in the rich Alexandrian collections of the Graeco-Roman Museum, particularly the Benaki Collection, and in finds from excavations. The volume contains stamps from excavations of Delos, Crocodilopolis/Arsinoe and other sites in Egypt as well as some previously published stamps from excavations sites in other Eastern Mediterranean consumption centres. In the matrix names, numbers do not refer to any chronological dating order. Under the title of each eponym, following some brief information (the eponymous year of the eponym, total number of matrices naming him, used/not-used month names and the names of the producers associated with him) the stamps naming him are presented, beginning with the dies accompanied by month-names (if applicable) in alphabetical order, followed by the dies without month names.
In the fourth volume, appendices will contain lists with eponym-producer and producer-eponym associations in alphabetical and chronological order. Additional lists will refer to matrices of eponyms accompanied by fabricant matrices seen on the same amphorae and the matrices of secondary stamps accompanying the eponym dies.

Dr GONCA CANKARDEŞ-ŞENOL is a professor in the Department of Archaeology, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey and a specialist in Eastern Mediterranean amphora stamps. She has published numerous works on amphora stamps found in sites of Anatolia, Rhodian Peraia and especially in Egypt. She has identified more than 10,000 Rhodian dies which can be consulted on the website <www.amphoralex.org>.