Trade Routes & their Connections
Routes
Indian Ocean
Silk Road
Mediterranean
Advantages
Changeable, predictable
monsoon winds lead to
reliable schedules; great
variety and amount of
goods can be carried via
ship (emporium trading);
seaborne trade usually
faster than land routes
Less investment needed
to embark on small-scale
trading expeditions;
more cultural contacts
between vastly different
peoples; widespread
trade of high value items
Relatively high
population densities
along the coastal
Mediterranean provides
more opportunities for
trade, numerous ports;
shorter distances, calmer
waters than vast Indian
Ocean routes
Geographic Scope
East Africa, Arabia,
India, Southeast Asia;
Canal between Red Sea
and Nile River
eventually connects to
Mediterranean
Commerce & Exchange
Aromatics (incense),
spices, gold, and
“thousands of other
things” (including wild
animals)
Political Systems
African kingdoms,
Indian empires and
kingdoms, Arabian tribal
chiefdoms,
Mediterranean empires
China, Bactria,
Sogdiana, Persia,
Mesopotamia, Anatolia,
Caspian/Black Sea,
Mediterranean
Spices, silk, gold, silver,
cloth, horses, aromatics
Europe, North Africa,
Southwest Asia, Black
Sea, with Red Sea-Nile
canal connections to
Arabia, Indian Ocean
route
Grain, wine, olive oil,
timber, metals
Imperial China, Central
Asian kingdoms, Egypt,
nomadic tribes of
Middle East, Persian
Empire, Roman Empire,
Mediterranean citystates
Greek citystates/colonies, Egypt,
North African citystates, Roman Empire