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LongDistanceTradeandtheSilkRoadsNetworkTheme:Thespreadofeconomicactivity,religion,anddiseasethroughtradeLesson23ID&SIG:•Antioch,AntoninePlague,BubonicPlague,classicalempires,Dunhuang,influencesoflongdistancetrade,Manichaeism,silkandspices,SilkRoads,TaklamakanDesertGlobalization•Thebreakingdownoftraditionalboundariesinthefaceofincreasinglyglobalandfinancialtrends.–ThiswillbeamajorthemeinHIS102•Onephenomenonthathasmadeglobalizationarealityislong-distancetrade–The“SilkRoads”whichlinkedmuchofEurasiaandnorthAfricarepresentamajoradvanceinlong-distancetradeInfluencesofLong-distanceTrade•Broughtwealthandaccesstoforeignproductsandenabledpeopletoconcentratetheireffortsoneconomicactivitiesbestsuitedtotheirregions•Facilitatedthespreadofreligioustraditionsbeyondtheiroriginalhomelands•FacilitatedthetransmissionofdiseaseContributionsofClassicalEmpires•ClassicalempiressuchastheHan,Kushan,Parthian,andRomanbroughtorderandstabilitytolargeterritories–Theyundertookmassiveconstructionprojectstoimprovetransportationinfrastructure–TheexpandingsizeoftheempiresbroughtthemwithincloseproximitytoorevenborderingoneachotherOnlysmallbufferstatesseparatedtheRomanandParthianempiresSilkRoads•Asclassicalempiresreducedthecostsoflong-distancetrade,merchantsbeganestablishinganextensivenetworkoftraderoutesthatlinkedmuchofEurasiaandnorthernAfrica•Collectively,theseroutesareknownasthe“SilkRoads”becausehigh-qualitysilkfromChinawasoneoftheprincipalcommoditiesexchangedovertheroadsRouteoftheOverlandSilkRoad•LinkedChinaandtheHolyRomanEmpire–ThetwoextremeendsofEurasia•StartedintheHancapitalofChang’anandwentwesttotheTaklamakanDesert–TheretheroadsplitintotwomainbranchesthatskirtedthedeserttothenorthandsouthTaklamakanDesert:“TheDesertofDeath”TheSilkRoadsavoidedtheTaklamakanDesertandpassedthroughtheoasistownsonitsoutskirtsRouteoftheOverlandSilkRoad•ThebranchesreunitedatKashgar(nowKashiinthewesterncornerofChina)andcontinuedwesttoBactria–ThereonebranchforkedofftoTaxilaandnorthernIndiawhilethemainbranchcontinuedacrossnorthernIranThereisstillabustlingSundaymarketatKashgarRouteoftheOverlandSilkRoad•InnorthernIran,theroutejoinedwithroadstoportsontheCaspianSeaandthePersianGulfandproceededtoPalmyra(modernSyria)–ThereitmetroadscomingfromArabiaandportsontheRedSeaSilkRoad•ItcontinuedwestandterminatedattheMediterraneanportsofAntioch(inmodernTurkey)andTyre(inmodernLebanon)SeaLanes•TheSilkRoadsalsoprovidedaccessatportslikeGuangzhouinsouthernChinathatledtomaritimeroutestoIndiaandCeylon(modern-daySriLanka)OrganizationofLong-distanceTrade•IndividualmerchantsusuallydidnottravelfromoneendofEurasiatotheother•Insteadtheyhandledlong-distancetradeinstages–Chinese,Parthians,Persians,Indians,Romans,andotherswoulddominatethecaravanormaritimetraderouteswithintheirempireorterritoryofinfluenceEconomicsSilkRoadTradetotheWest•SilkandspicestraveledwestfromsoutheastAsia,China,andIndia–Chinawastheonlycountryinclassicaltimeswherecultivatorsandweavershaddevelopedtechniquesforproducinghigh-qualitysilkfabrics–Spicesservednotjusttoseasonfoodbutalsoasdrugs,anesthetics,aphrodisiacs,perfumes,aromatics,andmagicalpotionsChinesesilkmakingSilkRoadTradetotheEast•CentralAsiaproducedlarge,stronghorsesandjadethatwashighlyprizedbyChinesestonecarvers•TheRomanempiretradedglassware,jewelry,worksofart,decorativeitems,perfumes,bronzegoods,woolandlinentextiles,pottery,irontools,oliveoil,wine,andgoldandsilverbullion–MediterraneanmerchantsandmanufacturersoftenimportedrawmaterialssuchasuncutgemstoneswhichtheyexportedasfinishedproductsintheformofexpensivejewelryanddecorativeitemsSilkRoadTradetotheEast•CentralAsiaproducedlarge,stronghorsesandjadethatwashighlyprizedbyChinesestonecarvers•TheRomanempiretradedglassware,jewelry,worksofart,decorativeitems,perfumes,bronzegoods,woolandlinentextiles,pottery,irontools,oliveoil,wine,andgoldandsilverbullion–MediterraneanmerchantsandmanufacturersoftenimportedrawmaterialssuchasuncutgemstoneswhichtheyexportedasfinishedproductsintheformofexpensivejewelryanddecorativeitemsReligionBuddhisminIndia•SiddharthaGautama(Buddha)firstannouncedhisdoctrinepubliclyinIndiain528B.C.•Bythe3rdCenturyB.C.,Buddhismwaswell-establishedinnorthernIndia•BuddhismwasespeciallysuccessfulinattractingmerchantsasconvertsTheBuddhabyOdilonRedonSpreadofBuddhism•MerchantscarriedBuddhismalongtheSilkRoadswhereitfirstestablishedapresenceintheoasistownswheremerchantsandtheircaravansstoppedforfood,rest,lodging,andmarkets•DunhuangwasonesuchspotInthesametradition,todaythereareagrowingnumberoftruckstopministriesSpreadofBuddhism•AtDunhuang,theSilkRoaddividesintotwobranches–Bythe4thCenturyA.D.,asizeableBuddhistcommunityhademergedthereBuddhismatDunhuang–Between600and1000A.D.,BuddhistsbuilthundredsofcavetemplesaroundDunhuangdepictingscenesofBuddha–Assembledlibrariesofreligiousliterature–SupportedmissionarieswhichspreadBuddhismthroughoutChinaSpreadofHinduism•HinduismalsospreadalongtheSilkRoads,primarilyalongthesealanes–ThisforexampleishowHinduismspreadfromIndiatoMalayaSpreadofChristianity•Antioch,thewesternterminusoftheoverlandSil