Indian Ocean Trade Route

By mprocope001
  • 1000 BCE

    Trade Began

  • Period: 1000 BCE to 300 BCE

    Indian Ocean Trade Route

  • 800 BCE

    Maritime Technology was developed

  • 800 BCE

    Central hub

    The Indian ocean became the central hub to the greatest international trade networks the world has ever seen.
  • 800 BCE

    Eastern African Goods

    Gold, Ivory, Sandlewood, Copper, and Slaves
  • 800 BCE

    Arabia and Persia Goods

    Wool, muslin fabric, wheat, barley, frankensense, myrh
  • 800 BCE

    India goods

    Cotton, dye, indigo, tea, spices, and herbs
  • 700 BCE

    Kingdom of Ghana

    It was a major Sudanic trading sight. It was the first to link trans saharan caravan trade. It had declined due to internal fighting.
  • 618 BCE

    Tang and Song Dynasty

    Chinese government started to revive under the Tang and Song Dynasties, maritime trade within the region increased.
  • 600 BCE

    language Spread

    Swahili, mix of Arabic, Indian, and Bontu
  • 600 BCE

    Religion

    Indian merchants brought Brahmin priests, Muslim scholars brought Arab merchants, Christian merchants brought priests.
  • 550 BCE

    Phoenician Ships & Compass

    The Chinese invented larger ships and the magnetic compass. This added momentum and growth to trade. Larger ships meant more cargo and spices across the ocean and all over the world.The magnetic compass was to help know which direction they were going.
  • 510 BCE

    Scylax of Caryanda

    Scylax of Caryanda sailed the Indian Ocean, he discovered the Arabian peninsula and sailed through the red sea. He also encouraged others to start making trade expeditions.
  • 500 BCE

    Hanno Sailed

    Hanno sailed around the western coast of Africa and started new colonies. He founded a trading post off the coast of Mauritania.
  • 500 BCE

    Camel Saddle

    The camel saddle was invented for comfort of traveling for trade.
  • 414 BCE

    Swahili Civilization

    The city state of Swahili Civilization competed with each other for dominance of the region. Arab empires greatly increased trade in the region as Islam supported trade, causing Islam to spread along the trade routes.
  • 336 BCE

    Alexander the Great

    He lead military conquests that won him control of the Persian empire. He founded the city of Alexandria in Egypt which became a very large center for trade.
  • 330 BCE

    Byzantine becomes Constantinople

    This serves as a major trading depot for goods going into Europe for several hundred years.
  • 322 BCE

    Mauryan Empire

    Became very trade oriented. Greek and West Asian territories were India's best trade partners at this time.
  • 300 BCE

    Routes Connect

    Routes connect Southeast Asia, India, Arabia, and East Africa. The Persian, Roman, Han, and Mauryan Empire's used these routes.
  • 300 BCE

    Trans Saharan Network

    Trans Saharan Network began.
  • 300 BCE

    Animals & Disease

    Animals such as the camel were introduced to North Africa and the Sahara making trade inland more efficient. The Bubonic plague was a major bacterial infection that was spread by fleas from the camels.
  • 45 BCE

    Monsoons

    Monsoons made trade possible, blowing strong winds eastward in the summer and westward in the winter. Others learned to trade as soon as they had an understanding of the monsoons.