-
Under Alexander the Great's conquests, Western people became aware of Central Asia for the first time. In 300 one of his men founded a settlement in northern Afghanistan, Ai Khanum
-
-
-
-
Around 100 AD Buddhism from India starts to appear in China.
-
The Han Dynasty were looking for allies to support them against the Nomad Empire. They also wanted to bring bigger horses to breed with their own horses in China. Emissaries like Zhang Qian were sent out on missions. They took court silk with them and traded it along the way.
-
-
-
The letters describe activities of Sogdian merchants. These Iranian speaking people created colonies along the Silk Road trade routes trade routes, from Samarkand (in modern day Uzbekistan) all the way to China, between 3rd century BC and 8th century AD.
-
-
-
This is the time when most trade is happening along the Silk Roads. Chang'an, the capital of China at the time is the richest city in the world.
-
Arabs defeat the Chinese at Talas (in modern day Kyrgyzstan) and capture Chinese papermakers, which introduces paper making into Central Asia and Europe.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Many traders are now taking the sea route between Europe and the Far East instead of going overland on the Silk Road.
-
