Ancient Trade Networks and Cultural Exchange

Trade Networks

• The Silk Road: a network of trade routes connecting China with the Mediterranean region, established during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE)
  • Facilitated exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures between East Asia, Central Asia, and the Mediterranean
  • Key goods traded: silk, spices, tea, porcelain, and precious stones
• The Indian Ocean Trade Network: a network of trade routes connecting the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and East Africa
  • Facilitated exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures between the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and East Africa
  • Key goods traded: spices, textiles, metals, and luxury goods
• The Roman Empire's Trade Network: a network of trade routes connecting the Roman Empire with its provinces and neighboring regions
  • Facilitated exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures between the Roman Empire and its provinces
  • Key goods traded: grains, wine, olive oil, and luxury goods

Cultural Exchange

• The Spread of Buddhism: from India to East Asia through the Silk Road
  • Introduced Buddhist philosophy, art, and architecture to East Asia
  • Influenced the development of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cultures
• The Spread of Greek Culture: from Greece to the Mediterranean region through the conquests of Alexander the Great
  • Introduced Greek philosophy, art, and architecture to the Mediterranean region
  • Influenced the development of Western culture
• The Exchange of Knowledge: between ancient civilizations through trade networks and cultural exchange
  • Facilitated the exchange of scientific knowledge, mathematical concepts, and astronomical discoveries
  • Examples: the exchange of mathematical concepts between ancient Greece and India, and the transmission of astronomical knowledge from ancient Mesopotamia to ancient Greece