In the Middle Ages the first great shunting station for spices was Pavia, capital of the kingdom of Lombardy; in this period it was widely used as a payment of compensation of office to consuls and officials using the valuable spices such as that of pepper, saffron and cinnamon, the rest was offered to princes and popes, to feudal lords and ambassadors, to monasteries and also sometimes to victorious soldiers as a war booty.
Nel Medioevo il primo grande centro di smistamento delle spezie fu Pavia, capitale del regno Longobardo; in quest'epoca era diffusa l'usanza di pagare l'indennità di carica a consoli e ufficiali in spezie pregiate come il pepe, lo zafferano e la cannella che del resto venivano offerte a principi e papi, a feudatari e ambasciatori, a monasteri e anche talvolta ai soldati vittoriosi come bottino di guerra.