Trade in the Indian Ocean - Classical Era (1000 B.C.E. - 300 C.E.)

Phoenicians

Period: 1200 BCE to 538 BCE

Phoenicia was one of the greatest trade powers during the first century B.C.E. Some of their largest exports include cedar (for building ships), purple dye (from snail shells), and later glass. They were the first to discover how to make transparent glass. They used the Mediterranean Sea trade network for exporting.

Ancient Fishing Boats

1000 BCE

The oldest form of fishing craft, these boats were featured flat bottoms and were made from teak or mango wood. They were used for unloading the cargo from other boats who were not anchored on shore.

Bananas

1000 BCE

Originally cultivated in parts of Southeast Asia, Bananas made their way to India and Africa by about 1000 B.C.E. During the Classical Era, bananas became a crop and food in China and even part of the Middle East

Sugar Cane

1000 BCE

By 1000 B.C.E sugar cane had reached India from Southeast Asia. In India, the use irrigated fields and cross-pollination created ideal conditions for sugar can to grow and it flourished. It was considered a luxury item and used for mostly medicinal purposes until the end of the Classical Era when Persia recognized its use for cooking and sweetening.

Classical Era

Period: 1000 BCE to 300

Phoenician Ships

550 BCE

These were wooden ships anywhere from 65 to 100 feet long. They were specifically built to haul large amounts of cargo. They featured a round hulls, decorative sterns, rectangular sails, and broad rudders. They even equipped their boats with comfortable living quarters for the crew. These ships were very advanced for the time period.

Persian Empire

Period: 550 BCE to 330 BCE

An empire stretching across the northern Middle East in northwestern India.

Scylax of Caryanda

510 BCE

Scylax of Caryanda sailed the Indian Ocean on behalf of King Darius of Persia who wanted him to discover the mouth of the Indus River. While on his journey Scylax he also discovered the Arabian peninsula and sailed through the Red Sea. He returned home with news of the new regions he had explored and encouraged others to make trade expeditions as well.

Hanno

500 BCE

Hanno (a Phoenician admiral from the city of Carthage) sailed around the western coast of Africa to start new colonies. He successfully did so near the Moroccan coast and also founded a trading post off the coast of Mauritania.

Camel Saddle

500 BCE

A technology developed by the Northern Arabians to allow for comfortable and efficient travel by camel. This invention made trade by land routes easier by allowing goods and a person to sit comfortably on a camel's back for long periods of time.

Alexander the Great

336 BCE

Alexander the Great was the king of the Macedonian/Greek empire from 336 B.C.E. until his death in 323 B.C.E. He lead military conquests that won him control of the Persian empire, extending greek control through Asia and the Middle East. He founded the city of Alexandria in Egypt which eventually become a major center for trade.

Hellenistic Period

Period: 323 BCE to 331 BCE

A period in which Greek ideas spread around the globe and influenced art, literature, science, and politics. These ideas spread thanks to Alexander the Great's conquests and the large empire he created.

Mauryan Empire

322 BCE

This empire spread over most of India from 322 B.C.E. to 185 B.C.E. During Ashoka's rule, this empire became much more trade oriented. Greek and West Asian territories were India's best trade partners at this time.

Indian Ocean Trade Network

300 BCE

This network of trade routes connects Southeast Asia, India, Arabia, and East Africa. The Persian, Roman, Han, and Mauryan empires frequented these routes.

Trans-Saharan Trade Network

300 BCE

These trade routes stretched from sub-Saharan West Africa to the Mediterranean coast. Camels were used to haul goods across the dry Sahara desert on these routes.

Berenike

275 BCE

This was an important Egyptian port city located on the Red Sea. It was founded in 275 B.C.E. by King Ptolemy II. The main purpose of it was to import elephants from places like Sudan and Ethiopia, but it was also used for importing and exporting pottery, cloth, beads, and wood. This city traded often with India, and Rome later on.

Ashoka

271 BCE

Ashoka, an Indian emperor between 271 B.C.E. and 232 B.C.E., was devoted to spreading the Buddhist religion. He sent even sent people abroad to teach other cultures about Buddhism and that ended up contributing to the establishment of trade relationships. During his time as emperor, India traded with both West Asia and Southeast Asia.

Confucianism

200 BCE

This was a social philosophy which set social values that follow the teachings of Confucius. These values and teachings became popular in China during the Han Dynasty and were spread through trade relationships

Zhang Qian

138 BCE

An explorer sent by emperor Wudi of China to make an alliance with Yuezhi. He made it to Central Asia on his journey and was introduced to parts of Greek and Indian culture there, which he shared with China when he returned home. He was then sent on a second mission to Southeast Asia where he shared Chinese culture and learned about their culture to share in China, including dance, music, and foods. The routes he explored would later become known as the Silk Road.

Silk Road

130 BCE

The Han dynasty opened trade with the west in 130 B.C.E. It was a network of trade routes that included strategically placed trading posts and markets that streamlined the transport and distribution of goods. This network also included routes to ports in the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean sea. This allowed them to trade with the Roman Empire and Europe.

Silk

130 BCE

Silk is a luxury item that originated in China. It's a good that was commonly moved along the land route known as Silk Road.

Pepper

100

This was an important good in the spice trade and came from Southwestern India. Pepper was considered a luxury good and was even used as a type of currency equal to gold by the Romans.

Askum

100

A kingdom that was located in what is now Ethiopia. Their port of Adulis was connected to both the Red Sea and Indian Ocean networks, which allowed them to trade with many different regions. This kingdom controlled most of the African gold and ivory trade. Other common exports of Askum include gems, spices, and incense. They traded heavily with Sri Lanka, Greece, India, and Persia.

Disease

100

By the first century maritime and land trade routes/relationships had been well established. Foreign travelers come with foreign germs, viruses, and bacterias. Many cultures were exposed to diseases that they had no natural immunity to and it had a devastating effect on some populations, like the Romans and Chinese. Smallpox, measles, and the bubonic plague are 3 of the most common diseases that were contracted during this time.

Palmyra

200

A wealthy city, located where Syria is today, that included a large trading post that many merchants visited. This city had access to the Silk Road, which extended from Europe to China, and the Incense Road, which reached as far as the Arabian Peninsula.

Pearls

200

As a popular fashion item in the Roman Empire, it was an important export for countries near the Arabian Gulf where these gems were commonly found.

Buddhism

200

A religion that became popular in India and was spread through other cultures via trade and special religious convoys (such as those of Ashoka).

Angkor Borei and Oc Eo

250

Given the name of "Funan" by Chinese diplomats in 250 C.E., these cities controlled trade between China and India and the Indochinese peninsula. Funan was also responsible for shifting goods from Indian Ocean and South China Sea ports to land routes.

Hinduism

300

Hinduism became popular in India and was spread to other territories via Indian merchants