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cover of episode The Romans and India with William Dalrymple

The Romans and India with William Dalrymple

2024/9/5
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Ancient India held a prominent position in global trade, surpassing even China as the Roman Empire's primary trading partner. This lucrative exchange, facilitated by Indian sailors navigating the Indian Ocean and Red Sea, involved the transport of valuable goods like silks, spices, and ivory to Roman ports in Egypt.
  • India was the largest trading partner of the Roman Empire.
  • Trade routes between India and Rome flourished from the 1st century BCE to the 5th century CE.
  • Indian sailors navigated the Indian Ocean and Red Sea to reach Roman ports.
  • Valuable goods like silks, spices, ivory, and gems were traded.
  • The trade generated significant wealth for both empires.

Shownotes Transcript

Ancient India was the*** ***single greatest trading partner of the Roman Empire. For centuries, Indian sailors navigated the Indian Ocean and Red Sea to bring goods, ideas and religious beliefs to the Greco-Roman ports based on the Egyptian coast. But how did this lucrative trade begin? And what sorts of goods passed along it?

In today's episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by William Dalrymple to explore 'The Golden Road' - one of the great trade routes of ancient history - and discover how India became the beating heart of the ancient world.

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

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