Classical Era- Indian Ocean Trade

Ancient Fishing Boats

5000 BCE

These boats might have an outrigger for stability, and might be made of planks or a single log. They were made from teak or mango wood, which is resistant to rot. These were the oldest fishing craft, or were used for lighting. These were useful because it made trade and traveling faster and easier. They were used before the Classical Era but they played a major role in the Classical Era.

Classical Era

Period: 5000 BCE to 100 BCE

Start

1000 BCE

The Classical Era of the Indian Trade was from 1000 BCE to 300 CE. The major empires include the Mauryan Empire, the Han Dynasty, The Achaemenid Empire, and the Roman Empire.

Bananas

1000 BCE

Bananas reached Africa by around 1000 BCE. Bananas spread as a crop and a food into China, and may have been known in parts of the Middle East.

Confucius

551 BCE

Confucius developed concepts about society, education, and government that continued to be followed in China. Confucianism, became widely popular in Chinese culture and society after the 2nd century B.C. with the five classics becoming the core of education. The ideas and values would spread throughout the world.

Alexander the Great

550 BCE

Alexander the Great defeated the Persian Empire and extended Greek control over lands in western Asia, Egypt, Central Asia, and the Indus Valley. He also founded the city of Alexandria in Egypt, which would become a major center of art and trade.

Scylax of Caryanda

510 BCE

Scylax of Caryanda made a voyage into the Indian Ocean from 510-515 BCE. King Darius of Persia sent Scylax on his voyage. He sent him on this voyage because he hear rumors of riches and wanted to discover the mouth of the Indus River. His voyage made him famous and brought news of the regions which encouraged trade expeditions.

Camel Saddle

500 BCE

The camel saddle was developed in Northern Arabia between 500 and 100 BCE. The 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. It allowed for the camels to carry more of a load which made trading and traveling a lot easier for the people.

Greeks and Romans

500 BCE

Greek and Roman sailors and traders entered the Indian ocean after 500 BCE were sent there by Persian Ruler Darius I. This is important because it added more goods and innovations.

Hanno

500 BCE

Hanno sailed around the western coast of Africa. He was sent to explore Libya, the ancient Greek name for Africa. He successfully established several colonies along the Moroccan coast, in addition to a trading post on a small island off the coast of Mauritania.

Persian War

500 BCE

Athens agreed to aid the city-states of the Asia Minor, upsetting their rivals the Persians. Darius the Great began attacks on the Greek mainland.

Peloponnesian War

431 BCE

The Peloponnesian War was an ancient Greek war fought by Athens and its empire against the Peloponnesian League. The destruction of Athens fleet ended the war, and Athens surrendered the following year. The war reshaped the Greek Civilization. Sparta was leading power and poverty was widespread effecting international relations.

Alexandria

332 BCE

Alexandria was founded around 332 BCE by Alexander the Great and remained the capital of Egypt for nearly a millennium. The city was heavily influenced by Greek, and later Roman, culture.

Hinduism

300 BCE

Hinduism is a religion or also known as a way of life. Science was also spread in the form of Hindi numerals to the Arabian Peninsula.

Trans-Saharan Trade

300 BCE

The establishment of a land-based trade route in Northern Africa that cut though the Sahara Desert. This allowed trading to be done more effectively. It used camels for transportation of goods which also made it more efficient.

Ashkoa

271 BCE

In 271 BCE Ashoka encouraged contact that contributed to the establishment of trade relations.He did this by sending religious envoys abroad.

Cloves

206 BCE

Cloves were traded regularly along routes stretching from Europe to China. Early written records from the Han dynasty in China described how court officials kept cloves in their mouths to sweeten their breath while talking to the king. The spice was also imported by the Romans, eventually spreading to southern Europe. Cloves were a very important part of the spice trade, connecting the islands of Southeast Asia to the Asian mainland and other distant regions.

Invasion

200 BCE

In 200 BCE there was an invasion of North India. Invasions were by Central Asian Tribes, Bactrian Greeks, Sakas, and Kushans. They then established a dynasty.

Buddhism

200 BCE

Buddhism spanned the Indian and Chinese cultural realms of Asia by moving across the trade routes. Many Indian merchants became Buddhists.

Zhang Qian

138 BCE

Zhang was sent by emperor Wudi to make contact with the Yuezhi to form an alliance. His second mission to Southeast Asia he introduced Chinese culture and technology to the lands he visited and brought back foreign music, dance forms, and foods.

Pearls

100 BCE

Pearls were a popular jewelry style in the Roman Empire around 100-200 BCE. They are n ideal trade good because they took up very little room on ships or caravans. Pearls were commonly used for jewelry and decoration, or to ground up into powder for medicine.

Diseases

100 BCE

Commons diseases in Rome and China were smallpox, measles, and bubonic plague. The Roman Empire and China's population dropped because of those things. It also caused the Han and Roman Empires to weaken.