The Silk Roads

The Silk Road Map

The strategic routes of the Silk Road connect Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Some ways connected Antioch to Ctesiphon and Seleucia on the Tigris River. Other paths crossed mountain ranges to connect cities in Iran and Turkmenistan. Different routes connected modern-day Afghanistan and China. Some routes connected ports on the Persian Gulf to rivers like the Tigris and Euphrates. The Silk Road was over 4,000 miles long, crossing rugged terrains like the Gobi Desert and the Pamir Mountains.

Extent of the Silk Route/Silk Road. Red is the land route, and blue is the sea/water route. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

The Silk Road Cities

Cities sprang up along the Silk Road, becoming exchange centers. This happened as merchants, and other travelers looked for safe resting places.

As merchants converged, they had the opportunity to sell their goods to other merchants and purchase new things for themselves. This also allowed for the exchange of language, customs, and other ideas to be shared.

The exchange of ideas was attractive to scholars, philosophers, and theologians. These trade centers blossomed into intellectual centers.

Some of the largest cities along the Silk Road were:

• Chang'an (China)

• Dunhuang (China)

• Kashgar (China)

• Balkh (Afghanistan)

• Merv (Turkmenistan)

• Palmyra (Syria)

History of the Silk Road

The Silk Road was born in the 1st and 2nd centuries BCE, as Chinese Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sought access to trade new goods with the West through conquest and exploration. Historians view 130 BCE as the year the Silk Road opened for trade as the Han dynasty was victorious after winning a couple of wars. The Chinese were explicitly interested in doing whatever was necessary to breed more robust horses. Nearby nomads were interested in trading horses for grain and silk.

Silk was valued highly in China at this time. Not only was the method behind its creation cloaked in secret, but the textile itself was reserved for exclusive use by the imperial court.

In the 1st century BCE, the Romans were introduced to silk. It was instantly popular because not only was it a luxury item, but it was perceived as being exotic. The desire for silk grew in tandem with the trade routes linking China and Europe. The Silk Road expanded to the Roman Empire. Around the same time, the Chinese opened a water route from modern-day Vietnam to India and Sri Lanka.

The Roman Empire took control of Egypt in 30 BCE, allowing trade to blossom between China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. This was fueled by the Roman desire for silk and other luxury goods.

The Tang Dynasty, approximately 618-907 CE, saw an uptick in activity along the Silk Road. The Tang reopened the Silk Road in 639 CE and remained open to travel and trade for nearly 40 years. Access was lost when the Tibetans captured the Silk Road in 687, but almost 20 years later, the Tang dynasty was again able to reopen the road. Peace became widespread, and the Silk Road reached its golden age.

The Golden Age of the Silk Road was from approximately the 1st-3rd centuries AD. The Silk Road connected Europe, the Middle East, Afghanistan, and various parts of Asia.

The Roman Empire collapsed in the 5th century, creating disorder and uncertainty.

The Byzantine Empire began producing some of its silk, but it was never the same quality as the silk crafted by the Chinese. The western part of the Silk Road was its best under the Byzantine Empire.

Between the 8th-13th centuries, Baghdad became the most influential city along the Silk Road. The Islamic world expanded into Central Asia, taking power from the Tang.

The Mongol Empire later expanded into the Asian continent, bringing stability to the region. This had a significant impact to trade as the Silk Road was reopened under the Mongol administration. After the Mongols revived the Silk Roads in the 13th and 14th centuries, it was traveled by famed explorer Marco Polo.

This copious transit of people had another consequence: many historians believe the Black Plague bacteria was introduced into Europe through the Silk Route.

Usage of the Silk Road collapsed in 1453 when the Ottoman Empire ended trade with the West. This kicked off the Age of Exploration as Europeans looked to replace the trade routes they had come to rely upon so heavily.

Importance of the Silk Road

The collection of strategic trade routes that we now called the Silk Route gave people access to goods that they otherwise wouldn't be able to get. While trading goods made these routes necessary, the roads were important for another reason: they allowed for great cultural exchange.

Exchange of Goods in the Silk Roads

Silk was a hugely crucial Chinese export and one of the most common items traded along the Silk Road. However, there were other essential items traded along the Silk Road.

Other items traded along the Silk Road include:

• paper and gunpowder
• fruits and vegetables
• leather and hides
• spices and grains
• tools
• livestock

Cultural Exchange in the Silk Roads

The Silk Road was not just a way of moving commercial goods. It was also a way to move ideas. The Silk Road facilitated a tremendous cultural exchange.

Trading the following allowed for cultural exchange:

• religious objects
• religious beliefs
• language
• cultural traditions
• philosophy

The Silk Road Today

Parts of the Silk Road still exist today. The modern version is a paved highway that stretches from Pakistan to Xinjiang, China. The paved road is the driving force behind a UN plan for a highway and railroad that cross the Asian continent.

Silk Road Summary

The Silk Road, also known as the Silk Roads or the Silk Route, was a strategic series of trade routes that connected China to Europe and the Middle East. It functioned as a significant way goods were traded from one region to another and a way that culture and ideas were spread from region to region.

Cities developed along the routes of the Silk Road, causing merchants to convene in large groups. As the diverse group of merchants and other travelers were exposed to one another, their cultures, customs, and ideas were shared and spread.

Silk was transported west, while gold and silver were transported east. More goods were traded as time went on.

The Silk Road was made up of over 4,000 miles of trade routes. Few people traveled the entirety of the Silk Road. Instead, goods passed through a series of intermediaries.

As politics changed the government of the surrounding areas, the Silk Road became unsafe. Travelers began to abandon it due to the dangerous nature of following it. It was revived in the 13th and 14th centuries by the Mongol Empire.

Usage of the Silk Road ended in 1453 when the Ottoman Empire ended trade with the West.