Indian Ocean Trade- Classical Period

By jslacum
  • 1000 BCE

    Bananas

    Bananas spread traveled to India, and may have reached Africa by around 1000 BCE. They spread as a crop and a food into China, and may have been known in parts of the Middle East.
  • Period: 1000 BCE to 1 BCE

    Trade- Classical Period

  • Period: 1000 BCE to 1 BCE

    Phoenicians

    Dominated trade and travel during the first millennium BCE. Traveled further than any previous Mediterranean society and developed some of the most advanced ships and navigation techniques of their time.
  • 600 BCE

    Phoenicians

    Dominated trade and travel during the first millennium BCE. Traveled further than any previous Mediterranean society and developed some of the most advanced ships and navigation techniques of their time.
  • 550 BCE

    Alexander The Great

    Founded the city of Alexandria in Egypt, which would become a major center of art and trade.
  • 510 BCE

    Scylax of Caryanda

    Made a voyage into the Indian Ocean in service of King Darius of Persia from 510-515 BCE. He was famous for this voyage, and brought news of these regions that encouraged trade expeditions.
  • 500 BCE

    Camel sadle

    It allowed for the camels to carry more of a load which made trading and traveling a lot easier. Frame held the saddle over the hump with two pieces of wood or rope on each side of the hump parallel with the camel's backbone
  • 450 BCE

    Zhang Qian

    Introduced Chinese culture and technology to the lands he visited, and brought back foreign music, dance forms, and foods like grapes, pomegranates, watermelon, and walnuts.
  • 332 BCE

    Alexandria

    Alexandria was founded around 332 BCE by the Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great and remained the capital of Egypt for nearly a millennium. A hub of international trade, the city was heavily influenced by Greek, and later Roman, culture.
  • 300 BCE

    Hinduism

    Hinduism, religion spread by merchants. As well as science in the form of Hindi numerals to the Arabian Pennisula.
  • 300 BCE

    Frankincense and Myrrh

    Frankincense and myrrh, both highly prized trade goods at the time. Frankincense and myrrh, both types of incense that release a pleasing aroma when burned, were an important part of religious rituals
  • 271 BCE

    Ashoka

    Encouraged contact that contributed to the establishment of trade relations. This was done by sending religious envoys abroad.
  • 271 BCE

    Ashoka

    One of the most famous Indian emperors who worked to spread the religion of Dhamma, or the teachings of Buddha. By sending religious envoys abroad, Ashoka encouraged contact and interactions that contributed to the establishment of trade relations
  • 206 BCE

    Cloves

    A highly desired luxury item, that was traded regularly along routes stretching from Europe to China.
  • 200 BCE

    Bandits and Political Disputes

    Merchants continued to use this trade route - particularly when bandits and political disputes made land travel dangerous - throughout the second and third centuries CE.
  • 200 BCE

    Rouletted pottery

    Rouletted ware is a type of ceramic found in many archaeological sites in India, Southeast Asia and even Indonesia. The style of decoration was imported, but the technique was learned by local potters, who adapted their own tools and ideas.
  • 200 BCE

    Buddhism

    The spread of Indian religious and cultural influences like Buddhism to Southeast Asia was often accompanied by an increase in trade.
  • 128 BCE

    Zhang Qian

    An early pioneer of the 'Silk Road' trade routes, helped open up China to many foreign lands and cultures.
  • 100 BCE

    Pearls

    They are an ideal trade good because they took up very little room on ships or caravans, pearls were commonly used for jewelry and decoration, or sometimes ground up into powder for medicine.
  • 100 BCE

    Diseases

    Smallpox, measles, and bubonic plague were common diseases for Rome and China. Caused the Han and Roman Empires to weaken.
  • 100 BCE

    Peppercorn

    luxury trade good used for both cooking and medicine. Pepper was an important part of the spice trade, which flourished from the first century BCE first century CE.
  • 4 BCE

    Phoenicians

    Exported highly prized reddish-purple cloth. Also, imported and exported items like wine, olives and olive oil, wheat, spices, metals, honey, and cedar wood.
  • 4 BCE

    Isthmus of Kra

    Traders from India reached the rest of Southeast Asia by crossing the Isthmus of Kra, rather than making the longer and more difficult journey around the entire Malay Peninsula.
  • 1 BCE

    Isodorus of Charax

    Parthian Stations is an account from the first century BCE of the overland trade route and posts between the Near East and India.
  • 1 BCE

    Gauloi, or 'round,' ships

    Phoenicians were adventurous merchants who built sturdy cargo ships designed to transport large amounts of goods
  • 1 BCE

    Grain

    Millet, teff, and sorghum are grains that are high in nutrition.When the seeds are ground into flour, it can be used to make porridge or bread. By first centuries CE, millets and teff had spread to the shores of the Indian Ocean .