Cross-Cultural Exchanges On The Silk RoadsChapter 12Mikayla KelleyEchard 4th hour

Long-Distance Trade & The Silk Roads Network

• During the Classical era long distance trade became easier because of two improvements.• Construction of roads and bridges.• Building of large societies that often bordered one another.

Trade Networks of the Hellenistic Era

Exchanges between India/Bactria in east and Mediterranean basin in west.

Access to Indian Markets

Archaeologists have found coins, pieces of jewelry, Greek sculptures and Gods.

The Moonson SystemKnowledge of winds enabled mariners to sail safely and reliably to all parts of the Indian Ocean basin.

Trade in the Hellenistic EraTrade developed from Bactria and India in the eat to the Mediterranean basic in the west.

Spices, pepper, cosmetics, gems, pearls, Mediterranean wine, olive oil, jewelry, and works of art.

Brought interaction between societies.

The Silk RoadsAs the classical empires expanded, merchants and travelers created an extensive network of trade routes that linked much of Eurasia and north Africa.

Eventually called the Silk Roads because of China’s high quality silk being one of the principle commodities exchanged over the roads.

Went from China to the Roman empire.

THE SILK ROADSThe silk roads included a network of sea lanes that sustained maritime commerce throughout much of the eastern hemisphere.

Goods trades included a wide collection of manufactured products and agricultural items.

China:Ginger, cinnamon, strong horses, and high quality jade.

Asia: All fine spices, pepper, sesame oil, cotton, coral, ivory.

Roman Empire:Glassware, jewelry, works of art, perfumes, bronze goods, wool, pottery, iron tools, olive oil, wine, and gold and silver.

The Organization of Long Distance Trade.

Long distance trading often occurred in stages.

Chinese and central Asian people dominated trade.

Determined boundaries for other nations trading.

On the sea’s however, nations joined together to make trading more successful.

In the Arabian Sea, Persians joined Egyptians and Greek subjects of the Roman empire as the most prominent trading peoples.

Cultural and Biological Exchanges Along the Silk Roads

The silk roads not only offered an opportunity of trading goods, but also trading religions, cultures, languages, technologies, and also epidemics.

The Spread of Buddhism and Hinduism

By the third centaury, B.C.E. Buddhism had become well established in northern India, and with the sponsorship of the emperor Ashoka the faith spread to Bactrira and Ceylon.

Buddhism was particularly successful in attracting merchants as converts.

Buddhism made its way down the silk roads.Iran, Central Asian, China, and southeast Asia.

The Spread of Christianity

Roman empires had previously tried to stomp out any form of Christianity because most Christians refused to observe state cults that honored emperors as divine beings.

BUT! Taking advantage of the silk roads they continued to spread their religion through the Mediterranean Basin, and in Southwest Asia.

Spread of Epidemic Disease

Spread by long distance travelers, and merchants.

Effected the worldwide human population.

During the second and third centuries C.E., the Han and Roman Empire suffered large scale outbreak of epidemic disease.

Smallpox, Measles, and Bubonic Plague. Caused a sharp decline in populations.

Effects of the Epidemic Diseases

Demographic decline brought economic and social change.

Self-sufficiency.

Smaller regional economies, and social problems.

Caused trade to stop.

Population loses.

Caused serious instability in China.

China After the Han Dynasty

• By the time epidemic diseases stuck China, internal political problems had already begun to weaken the Han dynasty.• Lost ability to obtain and maintain order.

• The dynasty fell because of internal problems that its rulers could not solve. • Epidemic disease.• Population Decrease.• Peasant rebellion.

The Fall of the Roman Empire

Moralist have often interpreted the fall of the Roman empire as a symbol of the transitory nature of human beings.

Internal opposition. People wanted more freedom which led to fall of an emperor rule.

Empire was so big, managing it became troublesome.

Cultural Change in the Late Roman Empire

In the Roman Empire the collapse of the imperial state coincided with important

social and cultural changes.

Prominence of Christianity

•This religion was the most prominent survior of the western Roman empire.

•Won recognition as a legitimate religion in the Roman Empire.

•St. Augustine was the most important and influential figure.

•Won the right to practice faith openly and attracting intellectual talent, and turned it into one powerful church.

•Institutional church in Rome created.

•Pope