The long caravan that followed Alexander traveled 11,000 miles back and forth across the Persian Empire. This moving city used the same roads that were later traveled by the Romans, Genghis Khan (c. 1162-1227 b. c.e.), Marco Polo (1254-1324 b. c.e.), and, later still, by British soldiers during World War II.
Roads that branched out from the Royal Road linked all parts of the empire. One branch connected Babylon and Ecbatana, crossing the Royal Road near Opis and continuing to the Far East. This route between the Mediterranean Sea and China became part of what is known as the Silk Road during the first century b. c.e. The first users of this important trade route, which actually included four different roads, probably lived between 1000 and 500 b. c.e.
One of the Silk Road's most famous travelers was Marco Polo, a merchant from Venice, Italy. He first traveled along this route when he was 17 years old. He described the exotic East in a book that remains one of the most
Famous travel books of all time, The Travels of Marco Polo. The book added a great deal to what was known of Asian geography and culture and introduced many Westerners to Asian culture.
New ideas also traveled the Silk Road. Believers spread both Buddhism and Islam along its route. Technologies such as printing, paper making, ceramic glazing, glass blowing, and wine making were carried between East and West. New foods, such as noodles, which food historians believe originated in Persia, were also introduced to the world via the Silk Road.
Merchants traveled the Silk Road in caravans of camels. Besides silk, which came from China, they used this route to transport many kinds of goods, including gold and silver, rubies and jade, textiles, ivory, spices, furs, ceramics, and bronze weapons. Salt, which for many years was worth as much as gold, was another important Silk Road product. The city of Salzberg in Austria originated as a salt mining center along the Silk Road.
Market towns. These goods included perfumes, incense, gold, jewelry, pearls, crafts such as silver drinking cups, furs, many types of weapons, horses from Assyria, and cattle from Mesopotamia.
During the Hellenic period, most trade was local, between villages and the nearest cities. But there was a tremendous increase in trade between East and West. This was due, in part, to the universal currency and the new coins that had been put into circulation, as well as to the establishment of many new towns and ports. Another important factor was the adoption of Greek throughout the lands Alexander controlled as the lan-
Guage used for trade and diplomacy. Having a common language had a major impact on commerce. Prior to this innovation, confusing mistakes frequently occurred because financial and business transactions were conducted through interpreters. With a uniform currency and language, commerce was greatly simplified.
Increased economic activity throughout the ancient world relieved, for a time, some of the economic difficulties that had threatened Greece. Years of fighting among the city-states had caused the farmers (who were required to serve as soldiers in wartime) to neglect their farms, and for a time food was scarce. The economic boom sparked by Alexander’s conquests helped relieve this crisis, at least temporarily. Besides increased trade, war spoils also helped. Alexander divided Persian riches among the Greek towns and city-states that had supported the invasion. As one of the leading powers, Athens received a large amount of silver, gold, and luxury items as its share of the war loot.
A new demand arose in the West for goods such as spices that were not produced in the Mediterranean region. Other goods traded between East and West were building materials such as lumber and asphalt, frankincense, myrrh (an aromatic gum resin used to make perfume and incense), gold, metals, gems, grain, horses, oil, pearls, silk, foods, and wine. Wars had created an unprecedented demand for iron. Buying and selling slaves was also an important part of Hellenistic trade.
Luxury goods were imported from India, Africa, and Arabia, and usually were carried by Bactrian (two-humped) camels, traveling in caravans. Fine embroidery, carpets, tapestries, stones, and jeweled vases came from Babylon, where the knowledge of dyes was very advanced. Trade was also facilitated by the ports Alexander established. Basic items, such as grain, raw materials, and manufactured goods, were usually shipped by sea. Slaves were also carried in boats. As a result, piracy was a constant problem.
Several regions became prosperous through trade. Phoenicia, located along the Mediterranean Sea in what is modern-day Israel and Lebanon, had many merchants and craftsmen who sold wood, cloth, precious metals, and carvings. The Phoenicians, who were not a warlike people, were also expert shipbuilders and sailors. The people of northern Arabia also grew rich this way. They controlled the main travel routes through the Arabian Desert. Persian merchants with caravans of camels used these routes to carry incense from Arabia to other Middle Eastern lands.
World History
