Indian Ocean Classical Era Trade

By Genuse1127
  • 2500 BCE

    Use of stars

    This allowed sailor to travel in open water using the stars to get them to their destinations
  • 2000 BCE

    Seasonal Mosoon Winds

    The discovery of the seasonal monsoon winds led to sailors being able to cross the Arabian Sea
  • 2000 BCE

    Austronesian settlement of Madagascar

    this allowed trade to flourish from Eastern Africa
  • 1000 BCE

    The Periplus of the Erythrean Sea

    is a Greco-Roman periplus, written in Greek, describing navigation and trading opportunities from Roman Egyptian ports
  • Period: 600 BCE to 300 BCE

    Spread of religion

    Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism spread across the Bay of Bengal to Southeast Asia
  • 500 BCE

    Greek and Roman traders enter the Indian Ocean

    This led to the long distance trade of many unique goods and the spread of culture from across an ocean.
  • 500 BCE

    Persian trade ships sent under the order of Darius I

    Darius I enjoyed a large income and goods from Asia because of his early involvement with trade in the Indian Ocean.
  • 400 BCE

    Ehtiopia, Arabian and India have huge Christian and Judaism immigration

    Linked with the trade, thousands of Christian and Jews flocked to these coutries in search of riches from trade. Modern day Christian and Jewish Indians claim their lineage can be traced back to these groups who came for the Indian Ocean trade.
  • 326 BCE

    Nearchus sent by Alexander the Great

    Greek general sent from the Indus River to the Persian Gulf by Alexander the Great.
  • Period: 300 BCE to 185 BCE

    Major Empires involved in Indian Ocean trade

    Roman Empire, Persian Empire, Han Dynasty of China and the Mauryan Empire.
  • Period: 200 BCE to 200

    Development of ships

    Larger, more durable wooden ships started to be used in order to maximize the trade routes by taking more weight then they ever were able to before.
  • 150 BCE

    Goods imported into India

    Roman coins have been found in Indian hoards with Indian
    coins. Cloth, ceramics, pottery, metal wares, glass, beads, incense, rare woods, and spices, pearls and coral were traded alongside common goods.
  • 300

    Importation of metals

    Silver, copper, and gold were of high demand in India.
  • 323

    Asian Goods

    Goods from China and Japan were recorded as being bartered in Indian ports at this time.
  • 1000

    Trade goods mainly being exported from India

    Wine, Spice, Cloth, Gold, Ivory, Precious stones