# The Olive in the Ancient Mediterranean — WHE Article Discussion (2-947)

**URL:** <https://community.worldhistory.org/t/the-olive-in-the-ancient-mediterranean-whe-article-discussion-2-947/17269>\
**Category:** WHE Articles\
**Created:** [September 9, 2016, 8:57am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/the-olive-in-the-ancient-mediterranean-whe-article-discussion-2-947/17269 "2016-09-09T08:57:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![markzcartwright](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/markzcartwright/32/35_2.png) [@markzcartwright](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/markzcartwright)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 8:57am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/the-olive-in-the-ancient-mediterranean-whe-article-discussion-2-947/17269/1 "2016-09-09T08:57:03Z")

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Olives and olive oil were not only an important component of the ancient Mediterranean diet but also one of the most successful industries in antiquity. Cultivation of the olive spread with Phoenician and Greek colonization from Asia Minor to Iberia and North Africa and fine olive oil became a great trading commodity right through to the Roman period and beyond. The olive also came to have a wider cultural significance, most famously as a branch of peace and as the victor's crown in the ancient Olympic Games.

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_This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at [https://www.worldhistory.org/article/947/the-olive-in-the-ancient-mediterranean/](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/947/the-olive-in-the-ancient-mediterranean/)._

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**Author:** ![system](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/system/32/30_2.png) [@system](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 5:57pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/the-olive-in-the-ancient-mediterranean-whe-article-discussion-2-947/17269/2 "2026-07-31T17:57:09Z")

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Unlisted on July 31, 2026, 5:57pm UTC