Aided by its special rights in the Byzantine Empire, Venice was able to dominate the trade in goods between the Middle East and Europe, including spices, silks, lumber, wheat, and salt. Venice became a “staple” port—most goods traded in the Mediterranean first passed through Venice for weighing and inspection before being sent off to their final destination. At its peak, Venetian trading routes stretched from the Black Sea, to the Levant, North Africa, southern Europe, and even to England.
