The Silk Road

The rise and fall of different civilizations caused the trading paterns on the silk roads from 200 b.c.e.to 1450 c.e. to alter drastically, while at the same time, maintaining its original purpose which was the exchange of religions, technologies, and goods between the east and the west.

The silk roads were first established as a route from western Rome to chinas Han dynasty around 200 bce. The high demand for silk caused china to export silk to areas like India, Rome, and the Mediteranean. Budhism became an influential religion for the Chinese diffused from India. The trading routes were pretty dangerous due to bandits and the harsh desert climates. The collapse of the Roman Empire and the Han dynasty resulted in the end of the Silk Road during this era.

The Byzantine empire took over the Silk Road after the western Rome collapsed. They adapted the skill of making silk and traded with the Tang Dynasty. The Silk Road spread Chinese inovations like gunpowder, the compass, and printing paper. Muslim traders also influenced the spread of Islam across the Silk Road to parts of Asia like china and south east Asia. This era in the Silk Road ended with the Mongol invasion of Eurasia.

The Mongols started the yuan dynasty in china. The constant expansions of the silk routes caused plague among the roads. The roads were also very dangerous and travelers often had their goods stolen. The Mongols unification of the inner Asian nomads created a safer trading path that they could travel on without getting goods stolen.