Trade Routes

1. Trade Routes Foundations – 600 CE

2. Silk Road • Originally as interregional trade, trade route grew during Han dynasty: 1st-2nd Century CE to forge alliances with non-Chinese nomads.

3. Silk Road • Trade with China, Roman Empire, India, Middle East, Egypt • Increased spread of Buddhism, visitors to other regions

4. Silk Road As Trade Route Case Study • Trade routes • Overland trade routes linked China to Roman empire • Sea lanes joined Asia, Africa, and Mediterranean basin into one network • Trade goods • Silk and spices traveled west • Central Asia produced large horses and jade, sold in China • Roman empire provided glassware, jewelry, artworks, perfumes, textiles

5. Silk Road As Trade Route Case Study • Cultural Exchanges Along Silk Road • The spread of Buddhism and Hinduism • Buddhism in central Asia and China • First present in oasis towns of central Asia along silk roads • Further spread to steppe lands • Foreign merchants as Buddhists in China, first century B.C.E. • Popularity of monasteries and missionaries, fifth century C.E. • Buddhism and Hinduism in Southeast Asia

6. Silk Road As Trade Route Case Study • Cultural Exchanges Along Silk Road • The spread of Christianity • Christianity in the Mediterranean basin • Missionaries attracted converts • Christian communities flourished in Mediterranean basin by late third century C.E. • Christianity in Southwest Asia follows the trade routes • Sizable communities in Mesopotamia and Iran, 2nd century C.E. • Sizable number of converts in southwest Asia until the 7th century C.E. • Nestorians emphasized human nature of Jesus, 5th C.E. • Nestorian communities in central Asia, India, and China by 7th century C.E.

7. Silk Road As Trade Route Case Study • Cultural Exchanges Along the Silk Roads • The spread of Manichaeism; • Mani and Manichaeism • Prophet Mani, a Zoroastrian: from Christianity and Buddhism • Dualism: perceived a cosmic struggle between light and darkness, good and evil • Offered means to achieve personal salvation • Ascetic lifestyle and high ethical standards • Spread of Manichaeism; appealed to merchants • Attracted converts first in Mesopotamia and east Mediterranean region • Appeared in all large cities of Roman empire, third century C.E. • Persecuted by Sasanids and Romans but survived in central Asia

8. Silk Road As Trade Route Case Study • The spread of epidemic disease • Epidemic diseases • Common epidemics in Rome and China: • smallpox, measles, bubonic plague • Roman empire: population dropped by a quarter from the first to tenth century C.E. • China: population dropped by a quarter from the first to seventh century C.E. • Effects of epidemic diseases • Both Chinese and Roman economies contracted • Small regional economies emerged • Epidemics weakened Han and Roman empires

9. Mediterranean Trade Routes • Spanned the Mediterranean: Persia, Egypt, Rome, India • On land AND sea • Ideas and goods spread: Hellenism, numbers, writing systems, etc.explosion of intellectual activity • Idea of Monotheism

10. Mediterranean Trade Routes • Traded: • Slaves • Amber • Iron • Animals/agricultural products • Wine • Gemstones • pottery

11. Indian Ocean Trade • The route of the spice trade (origins: Spice Islands: cloves and cinnamon) • “He who controls the Spice controls the empire,” (Frank Herbert, Dune).

12. Indian Ocean Trade • Improved nautical knowledge: compass, rudder, etc. • Used monsoons to sail • Arab (Islam) settlements in Africa • No single dominating power • About 500-1000CE

13. MesoAmerican Trade • Allowed Mayan communities to acquire goods otherwise unavailable (such as turquoise) • Primarily through the Yucatan Peninsula • Caused widespread hegemony