Roman Trade in India: Numismatic Evidence

[guy]

Pliny the Elder complained about the drain of specie (coin money) to India:

India, China and the Arabian peninsula take one hundred million sesterces from our empire per annum at a conservative estimate: that is what our luxuries and women cost us. For what fraction of these imports is intended for sacrifices to the gods or the spirits of the dead?

— Pliny, Historia Naturae 12.41.84.

 

I recently read "The Roman Empire and the Indian Ocean" by Raoul McLaughlin, and I was fascinated by the extensive connections between the Romans and the people of the Indian region. The book highlights how Roman merchant ships ventured into the Bay of Bengal and along trade routes that extended to Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and even the Han Empire of ancient China. Greek geographer Strabo (64 BC - 24 AD) noted that after the Romans took control of Egypt and its ports, the number of ships traveling from Egypt to India annually increased from fewer than 20 to over 120.

I found it fascinating to learn about the Roman coin hoards in India, especially the impressive size of the Kottayam hoard discovered in southern India.

 

Professor Raoul McLaughlin explains that the Roman Empire imposed a 25% import tax, known as the tetarte, on goods arriving from abroad. These imports—primarily spices such as pepper, cinnamon, and ginger, along with ivory, incense, and precious gems like pearls and rubies—entered the Empire through the vital port city of Alexandria. Upon leaving Alexandria for Rome and other Mediterranean destinations, these items were subjected to additional taxation.

The revenue generated from these taxes was a significant financial pillar supporting Rome’s prosperity, underwriting both its military endeavors and civilian programs. According to Professor McLaughlin, the tax income from trade with India and the broader East may have accounted for as much as 25 to 30% of the entire Roman state budget.

 

I am unsure about the extent of funding these taxes provided, but I am convinced that the trade between these two regions is far greater than I ever imagined.

 

 

Below is an interesting Indian perspective on ancient Roman-India interactions and the numismatic evidence.

 

 

Professor McLaughlin's book may be controversial, but it is certainly thought-provoking. 

I look forward to reading McLaughlin's book "The Roman Empire and the Silk Routes: The Ancient World Economy and the Empires of Parthia, Central Asia, and Han China."

 

It is always good to have our previous notions about ancient Rome challenged.

Edited October 4, 2025 by guy

[guy]

A recent video on the subject by Professor McLaughlin:

 

[Shayun]

Thank you for the article and reference to The Roman Empire and the Indian Ocean.   It is really interesting putting Roman trade into the Indian Ocean context.  On a recent visit to Sri Lanka at the museum located below Sigriya I was also surprised and interested to find Roman coins on display with some explanation of the Indian Ocean trade routes and hoards:

 

"Large hoards of copper or bronze Roman coins and contemporary Indo-roman imitations have been found at many places in Lanka with a large hoard being found in 1987 at Sigiriya. The coins are always very worn indicating a wide and constant circulation and the roman coins are usually third century and later in age. These hoards suggest that the roman and indo-roman coinage was probably used as small change long after the minting date of the coins themselves. Occasional gold trade coins from Rome are also found in Taprobane, like a Byzantine Roman solidus of Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine (610-641 AD). "

 

http://researchomnia.blogspot.com/2016/09/roman-commerce-with-ceylon-surrounding.html

 

[guy]

Thank you for reading my post.

I’ve always been doubtful about Roman trade with India and beyond, but the evidence is hard to deny. Even if the extensive and regular trade Professor McLaughlin describes didn’t occur, there was at least occasional trade and commerce.

Edited October 4, 2025 by guy

[guy]

Another interesting video on the Roman-Romano-Egyptian-Indian trade route:

 

 

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archives_de_Nicanor

Edited February 25, 2023 by guy

[Guaporense]

The period of the Late Republic and Early Roman Empire, around the year 1 AD, represented a historical peak in economic prosperity for the Mediterranean world, and when people had extra money available, they consumed luxury goods. Importing exotic goods from distant places like India was a consequence of this prosperity.

Consumption of goods from India was not exclusive to the elites: Roman soldiers in Britain consumed Indian pepper.

Although it is true that trade with India was mainly restricted to high-value goods like pepper and not bulk commodities like wheat or bricks. Inside the Mediterranean, the physical scale of trade was much greater, as African bricks have been found on Roman buildings in Italy.