The Roman Empire and the Indian Ocean: The Ancient World Economy & the Kingdoms of Africa, Arabia & IndiaThis study of ancient Roman shipping and trade across continents reveals the Roman Empire’s far-reaching impact in the ancient world. In ancient times, large fleets of Roman merchant ships set sail from Egypt on voyages across the Indian Ocean. They sailed from Roman ports on the Red Sea to distant kingdoms on the east coast of Africa and southern Arabia. Many continued their voyages across the ocean to trade with the rich kingdoms of ancient India. Along these routes, the Roman Empire traded bullion for valuable goods, including exotic African products, Arabian incense, and eastern spices. This book examines Roman commerce with Indian kingdoms from the Indus region to the Tamil lands. It investigates contacts between the Roman Empire and powerful African kingdoms, including the Nilotic regime that ruled Meroe and the rising Axumite Realm. Further chapters explore Roman dealings with the Arab kingdoms of southern Arabia, including the Saba-Himyarites and the Hadramaut Regime, which sent caravans along the incense trail to the ancient rock-carved city of Petra. The first book to bring these subjects together in a single comprehensive study, The Roman Empire and the Indian Ocean reveals Rome’s impact on the ancient world and explains how international trade funded the legions that maintained imperial rule. |
Contents
The Red Sea Route | |
The Scale and Significance of Indian Ocean Trade | |
International Business | |
East Africa and the Aksumite Kingdom | |
Southern Arabia and the SabaHimyarites | |
Arabia Felix and the Hadramawt Kingdom | |
The IndoParthians | |
The Saka and Satavahana Kingdoms | |
Other editions - View all
The Roman Empire and the Indian Ocean: The Ancient World Economy and the ... Raoul McLaughlin No preview available - 2018 |
The Roman Empire and the Indian Ocean: The Ancient World Economy & the ... Raoul McLaughlin No preview available - 2014 |
Common terms and phrases
Africa Alexandria ancient Arab Arthasastra Augustus balsam Barygaza Berenice bullion called cargo cinnamon coast commerce confirms Coptos customs taxes denarii desert east eastern trade Egypt Egyptian Emperor Eudaimon expensive exports foreign frankincense frontier Gallus gemstones gold grain Greek Hadramawt harbour Ibid imperial important incense India Indian Ocean inscription island ivory Josephus Juvenal King Kingdom land Martial Mediterranean Meroe miles military million sesterces Muza Muziris Myos Hormos myrrh Nabataeans named nard Nile offered Pandian Papyrus Parthian pearls pepper perfumes Periplus Periplus describes Periplus explains Periplus reports Persian Petronius Pliny describes Pliny reports probably produced provinces Ptolemy Qana Red Sea region revenues Rhapta Roman army Roman Economy Roman Empire Roman government Roman merchants Roman ships Roman traders Rome royal Sabaean sailing Saka Satavahana sent Sidebotham silver Somalia southern Arabia spices Strabo Suetonius Tacitus Tamil temple territory tons turtle-shell vessels voyages wealth wine Yavanas