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1000 BCE
Sugar Cane
REached India where it was cultivated on a larger scale and cross pollinated. -
1000 BCE
Bananas
First cultivated on the island of New Guinea, eventually traveling to Southeast Asia, India, and Africa. -
1000 BCE
Phoenicians
Dominated trade with the most advanced ships of their time. Imported and exported items, such as wine, spices, honey, metals, and cedar wood. Also traveled further than any other Mediterranean society. -
900 BCE
Kamal
Earliest known use of latitude sailing using stars. Originated with Arab navigators and used for sailing in the Indian Ocean. -
700 BCE
Askum
Traded gold, gems, spies, incense and ivory through port city of Adulus with Greece and other foreign regions.. Controlled gold and ivory trade. -
700 BCE
Islam
Religion spread (mainly to Indonesia) that spread through trade routes and the mingling of cultures. -
600 BCE
Iron
Made its way to China. -
600 BCE
Triangular Lateen Sail
First used on Arab dhows, they allowed ships to make sharper turns and move much faster. They also relied less upon the wind. -
551 BCE
Confucius
Developed many concepts related to society, education, and government. Confucianism soon became known world wide. (Widely known in China) -
550 BCE
Alexander the Great
Military leader that led the largest army of Greek soldiers. He defeated Persian Empire and extended Greek influence over Western and Central Asia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley. -
500 BCE
Hanno
Admiral for the city of Carthage, he made a voyage around the western coast of Africa, establishing several colonies and trading posts. -
500 BCE
Camel Sadle
A frame that held sadle over hump allowing camel to easily carry heavy loads while helping the rider to sit behind the hump, thus allowing for longer riding periods. -
440 BCE
Cinnamon
Origin of cinnamon is sill controversial, as some believe it originated in a place where others believe it could not have been grown, but it was traded during the classical area using the Indian ocean trade route. -
430 BCE
Athenian Plague
Killed 1/3 of Athenian during the Peloponnesian War, believed to have entered the city through its port, Piraeus. -
400 BCE
Ivory
Most popular ivory came from Africa. Of great value because African elephants had large tusks that were soft, making them easy for carving. May have come from an early port known as Periplus, as well as other ports in Africa. -
300 BCE
Buddhism
Spread from India to southeast Asia on trade routes, taking the place of Hinduism. -
300 BCE
Tran-Saharan Trade
Trade routes through the desert were made possible through the use of camels as a means of transportation. -
206 BCE
Cloves
Traded from the Maluku Islands in Indonesia and stretching from Europe to China. An important part of the spice trade. -
106 BCE
Zhang Qian
Established the silk road trade route. Introduced Chinese culture and technology to each area he visited. Also gathered information and goods from each area, such as music, dance, grapes, and watermelon. -
100 BCE
Pearls
Traded with the Roman empire, mainly by Persia. Made into jewelry, medicine, and decorations, pearls were an ideal trade because they could be sold for good price and took up little space on a ship.