Rome and the Distant East
In ancient times there were several major trade routes that connected the Roman Empire to exotic lands in the distant East. Truly global in its scope, Rome and the Distant East is the first comprehensive inquiry into the extent of this trade and its wider significance to the Roman world. It investigates the origins and development of Roman trade voyages across the Indian Ocean, considers the role of distant diplomacy, and studies the organization of the overland trade networks that crossed the inner deserts of Arabia through the Incense Routes between the Yemeni Coast and ancient Palestine. It also considers the Silk Road that extended from Roman Syria across Iraq, through the Persian Empire into inner Asia and, ultimately, China.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Rome and the District East
Ancient Evidence for Eastern Contacts
Roman Egypt and the Sea Routes to India
Diplomatic Contacts with the Distant East
The Economic Impact on the Roman Empire
The Products of the Roman Empire
Eastern Imports into the Roman Empire
The Prices of Eastern Goods
Notes