Networks of Communication
and Exchange
300 B.C.E.-600 C.E.
Before classical times, long-distance trade
was risky and costly
What two developments reduced the
risks of long-distance trade and
stimulated trade during classical
times?
How did Alexander’s conquests bring Greek
civilization into contact with eastern ideas?
What was the impact?
Break-up of Alexander’s Empire
Indian
Ocean
Monsoon
 Seasonal monsoon winds, which affected historic sailing routes in the Indian
Ocean, were discovered by mariners from Ptolemaic Egypt about 40 C.E.
 The prevailing winds blow from the southwest in the summer and from the
northeast in the winter
Major trade routes of the
Classical Period
Two major types of trade contacts
during the Classical Era
• Land Routes:
– Trans Saharan
Trade Routes
– The Silk Road
• Sea Routes:
– The Indian
Ocean System
– The
Mediterranean
Sea Lanes
Trade Networks: What was
Exchanged ?
•
•
•
•
Agricultural commodities
Manufactured goods
Natural resources
Technologies
– stirrup (major innovation) came from Afghanistan and
made its way both to China and Europe
– camel saddle
• Ideas: Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity
• Diseases—spread along trade routes
Trans Saharan Trade
• Prior to the Classical Age the Sahara Desert served
as a natural geographical barrier between SubSaharan Africa and those living in north and east
• Introduction of camel (probably around 1st century
B.C.E.) from Arabia, made trade caravans possible
Saharan Trade
• Camels—ships of the desert
Saharan Trade
• technological advancement:
camel saddle allowing trade
goods to be transported
• items from Sub-Saharan Africa
would make their way to eastern
Africa and then into Indian
Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
trade networks
• “silent trade” was often used
Saharan Trade: What was traded?
• desert salt was an important
trading commodity
– for export traders from SubSaharan Africa brought forest
products, kola nuts, palm oil,
rhinoceros horns, tortoise shells,
ivory, emeralds and gold
– imported cloth, glass, olive oil,
wine, brass, iron and copper
The Silk
Road
• the Silk Road was a linking of trade routes that
took silk from China to the Middle East and
Mediterranean—NO ONE BUILT THE ROAD!
Silk Road
• Silk Road extended overland from Chang’an
(Xi’an) in China to the ports of Tyre and
Antioch in the eastern Mediterranean
Indian Ocean Trade
Differences in Sailing Vessels
Mediterranean and Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
• Strong seasonal winds making navigation
difficult, so lateen sail (triangular) was
used –more maneuverable
• Boats smaller than used in Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea very calm water
• Sails large and flat to pick up wind
• Ships had rowers and stayed close to shore
Lateen sail for rough monsoon
waters
Mediterranean ships
Mediterranean Sea Trade
• Sea lanes linked the port of Rome (Ostia) to Syria
and Palestine to Spain and north Africa
• Roman military and naval power kept the Sea
lanes largely free of pirates
• Dominated by Roman mariners
Mediterranean Sea Trade
Movement (and impact) of
ideas, disease and people
during the Classical Period
The Spread of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity 200 B.C.E.- 400 C.E.
The Spread of Ideas along Trade Routes
•Buddhism spreads to China along the Silk Road and Southeast Asia by land and sea
•Hinduism spreads to Southeast Asia via sea trade routes
•Christianity becomes the dominant religion in Roman empire
•Christian communities flourished in Mesopotamia, Iran and as far away as India
Spread of Buddhism
• By the post classical
era Buddhism
became the most
popular religion in
east Asia, including
Japan, Korea, and
China
• Imported Buddhism
brought its artistic
styles and literature
to these countries
including China
Angkor Wat: Hindu Temple in Cambodia
built in the early 12th century
• merchant mariners regularly traveled between India and
southeast Asia during the late centuries B.C.E.
• clear signs of cultural influence of India by the first
century C.E.
Syncretism in cultural exchange
• Example: Buddhist statements about
celibacy and spiritual quests were
altered to make this aspect of the belief
harmonious with Confucian Chinese
values
• How did Hellenistic art styles impact
Buddhist art?
• How did the Indian idea of asceticism
and celibacy influence Christianity?
• Exchange between Mahayana
Buddhism and Christianity—
influenced each other
Impact of the spread of disease
on classical populations
AP theme: Demography and
Disease
Spread of Epidemic Disease
During the 2nd and 3rd centuries C.E. the
Han and Roman empires suffered largescale outbreaks of epidemic disease
 Hit China slightly later—similar impact
Smallpox, measles and possibly bubonic
plague
 Roman population went from about 60 million,
during the reign of Augustus, to 45 million by the 2nd
century
 165-180 an outbreak of smallpox furthur reduced
population to 40 million and killed Roman emperor
Marcus Aurelius (180)
Spread of Epidemic Disease
Demographic decline brought economic
and social change
 trade within the empires declined
 economies move to regional self-sufficiency
In weakening the Mediterranean society it
helped bring about the fall of the western
Roman empire
What happened in Han China? What was
the impact?
What happened in other areas classical
areas (Persia, India) What was the impact?
A Number of significant
migrations took place in late
classical era
AP theme: Migration
Bantu Migrations 1000 B.C.E.-500 C.E.
Germanic Migrations C.E. 400-526
Polynesian Migrations (up to C.E. 300)
Migrations in late classical era
C.E. 200-600
Polynesians: their migration was like the
Bantu—very gradual over long time
period
The End