Roman Warm Period
Encyclopedia
The Roman Warm Period has been proposed as a period of unusually warm weather in Europe and the North Atlantic that ran from approximately 250 BC to 400 AD.
Various proxies have been proposed as evidence for the Roman Warm Period, such as the Roman introduction of vineyard
s into Britain. Growing grapes for wine depends on a number of factors, including climate. Vineyards in the south of England were successful during the early Medieval period, and since the later 20th century numerous commercial vineyards have been established across England and Wales.
Olive presses have been found at Sagalassos in Anatolia, although it is now too cold to grow olives in this area.
Theophrastus
(371 – c. 287) wrote that date trees could grow in Greece if planted, but could not set fruit there. This is the same situation as today. So it seems it that Greek climate in the fourth and fifth centuries was equivalent to that of modern times. This is confirmed by dendrochronological evidence from wood found at the Parthenon
. By the time Hannibal crossed the Alps with elephants in 218 BC, the climate was significantly warmer than at present.
The phrase "Roman Warm Period" appears in a 1995 doctoral thesis. It was popularized by an article published in Nature in 1999.
Various proxies have been proposed as evidence for the Roman Warm Period, such as the Roman introduction of vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s into Britain. Growing grapes for wine depends on a number of factors, including climate. Vineyards in the south of England were successful during the early Medieval period, and since the later 20th century numerous commercial vineyards have been established across England and Wales.
Olive presses have been found at Sagalassos in Anatolia, although it is now too cold to grow olives in this area.
Theophrastus
Theophrastus
Theophrastus , a Greek native of Eresos in Lesbos, was the successor to Aristotle in the Peripatetic school. He came to Athens at a young age, and initially studied in Plato's school. After Plato's death he attached himself to Aristotle. Aristotle bequeathed to Theophrastus his writings, and...
(371 – c. 287) wrote that date trees could grow in Greece if planted, but could not set fruit there. This is the same situation as today. So it seems it that Greek climate in the fourth and fifth centuries was equivalent to that of modern times. This is confirmed by dendrochronological evidence from wood found at the Parthenon
Parthenon
The Parthenon is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their virgin patron. Its construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. It was completed in 438 BC, although...
. By the time Hannibal crossed the Alps with elephants in 218 BC, the climate was significantly warmer than at present.
The phrase "Roman Warm Period" appears in a 1995 doctoral thesis. It was popularized by an article published in Nature in 1999.
Proxies
- Glaciers: A 1986 analysis of Alpine glaciers concluded that the 100 AD to 400 AD period was significantly warmer than the immediately preceding and following periods.
- Deep ocean sediment: A 1999 reconstruction of ocean current patterns based on the granularity of deep ocean sediment concluded there was a Roman Warm Period that peaked around 150 AD.
- William P. Patterson, Kristin A. Dietrich, Chris Holmden, and John T. Andrews, Two millennia of North Atlantic seasonality and implications for Norse colonies", Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences