Roman Relics Found In India

[Viggen]

The marine branch of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has discovered Roman artefacts dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries from the inter-tidal zone (the area between the high-tide and low-tide lines) of Elephanta Island. The find, made last winter, includes artefacts like wine amphorae (vases), pot sheds, storage devices, and stone anchors. The discovery shows that trade between Rome and India continued much later than previously thought.

 

full article at DNA India

[Julius Ratus]

When did Rome begin trading with India and China?

[Skarr]

When did Rome begin trading with India and China?

 

Onesicritus of Astypalaea, a commander in the fleet of Alexander the Great wrote about an island called Taprobane and subsequently Pliny refers to the same island, describing the visit of a freedman from Rome and subsequently, the island (modern Sri Lanka) sent a delegation to pay their respects to Emperor Claudius. Trade seems to have been limited with Sri Lanka, although there are references to exotic pearls from Taprobane, which were available in many fine shops on the Forum, even during the Republic, for the ladies to purchase. It may be that many of these were sent to India from Sri Lanka and then, via Egypt, found its way to Rome.

 

Regarding China, I don't know much about the trade routes. However, the Indian connection is definitely getting more documentation, as you can read below.

 

As far as trade with India is concerned, recent archaeological expeditions along the Red Sea have unearthed organic substances from India (pepper, sail cloth, baskets, etc.) dating from about AD 30 at a Roman trading post (Berenike site - sponsored by Dutch / American funding ; located near the Egypt - Sudan border). This information is all based on a recently published article in the "Sahara", a monthly journal.

 

The speculation is that goods / cargo were regularly shipped by boat during the monsoon to this trading post and then transported by camel or Nile river boats to Alexandria and from there on, to Rome.

 

The findings are definitive proof of a vigorous trade with India by the Roman Empire (Willeke Wendrich of the University of California, one of the lead archaeologists, says that it is proof of a "Spice Route", very much like the "Silk Route" that led to China).

Edited September 19, 2006 by Skarr

[DecimusCaesar]

It's strange to see that trade connection to India could have survived in the east betweens Romans during this era seeing as the Sassanids would have done their best to exhaust the coffers of Rome and Constantinople, but Skarr's article makes sense if the goods were passed through Arabia, a neutral territory.

 

As for the Trade between China, the Romans got a hold on silk worms themselves and could still produce garments made from silk during the later Empire, even as the trading links with China began to decline.

Edited September 20, 2006 by DecimusCaesar

[Gaius Octavius]

If my memory serves, years ago a Roman outpost (fort?) was uncovered on the southerly coast of Yemen.

Roman coins were found on the northerly coast of Ceylon years ago.

[Ozymandias]

When did Rome begin trading with India and China?

 

Here's some informations about sino-roman relations:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Roman_relations

[Gaius Octavius]

See: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?&a...si&img=1368

 

 

and: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...si&img=1369