Pascal Warnking

JProf. Dr. Pascal Warnking is a Junior Professor for Maritime Antiquity in the Department of History at the University of Trier, Faculty III (Humanities). His work bridges ancient history, archaeology, and computational modeling to explore maritime trade and economic systems in the ancient Mediterranean.

• Institution: University of Trier
• School: Faculty of Humanities
• Department: Department of History
• Position: Junior Professor for Maritime Antiquity
• Office: Room BZ31
• Contact: +49 651 201-2438 | warnking@uni-trier.de

His research is deeply interdisciplinary, combining historical methods with oceanographic modeling, material culture analysis, and economic theory to reconstruct and quantify ancient maritime networks.

His research interests include:

• Quantification of ancient economies
• Maritime trade and economic interdependence in antiquity
• Computer-aided simulation of ancient sea routes and sailing times
• Impact of shipbuilding technology on trade connectivity
• Maritime networks and their role in shaping ancient communities

His recent and ongoing publications and projects focus heavily on modeling Roman maritime trade and analyzing amphora evidence to understand local and long-distance trade in the Roman world. The thematic trend across his work is the application of modern simulation techniques and interdisciplinary data to ancient economic questions.

He is currently leading or co-leading the following major research initiatives:

• ERC CoG MarDepend (2025–2030): A major project on maritime dependencies in antiquity, using Syracuse as a case study to analyze trade, environment, and conflict.
• The Amphora Stamps of Kerameikos (2024–2029): A publication project with Dr. Mateo González Vázquez.
• TreAsurE – Treveris Amphorae Survey and the Local Economy: An interdisciplinary project with Prof. Dr. Patrick Reinard and Dr. Mateo González Vázquez, analyzing Roman amphorae from Trier to understand regional trade dynamics.

He is actively involved in experimental archaeology through the reconstruction and survey voyages of the Roman merchant ship Bissula, which serves as a platform for testing historical maritime capabilities. He teaches courses such as "Seafaring in Antiquity," "Ancient Economy," and supervises master’s theses. He also contributes to public outreach through lecture series and student-led initiatives like the "Ad Porta(m)" brochure.