All About History - Issue 111, 2021_

SPREADING THE FAITH

The network of roads doesn’t just move goods

around, but ideas too. Christianity is preached to the

east, Zoroastrianism heads both east and west, and

Buddhist philosophy spreads north. The network leads

to  a  surprisingly cosmopolitan mix of religious ideas.

THE RISE OF ISLAM

Just as the Roman Empire regains its

equilibrium in the East, a new civilisation explodes

out of the Arabian Peninsula in the space of just

a couple of generations. This Islamic Caliphate

spreads from Spain to the borders of China.

MAKING MONEY 117 CE

With Rome at its peak, demand

for luxury goods is high. This

means more money for China,

more trade tariffs for Persia

and more silks for the Romans.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

2nd century CE

Traders always prefer times of

peace. If there is a strong power

in Persia or China, then the

chances of attack by bandits is

reduced substantially.

GETTING AROUND

1st century BCE

China has a massive demand for

horses, and ones from Fergana Valley

are seen as so good it is rumoured

that they are sired by dragons.

Key Events

CREATION
2nd century BCE
The start of the Silk Road is
a combination of three great
powers: the Persian Empire,
Alexander the Great’s
empire and Han China.

ORIGINS OF SILK
Silk comes from silkworms and the
first examples of it being used in China date to
3630 BCE. By the Han period in China, silk has
become a regularly produced material, although
revealing its production
secrets is punishable
by  death.

THE THREE KINGDOMS

220-280 CE

In China the Han Dynasty

collapses and there is a period

known as the Three Kingdoms.

Now there are regular wars, trade

decreases due to instability.

ISLAMIC CALIPHATE

8TH CENTURY CE

After initial disruption due to

conquest, the Islamic civilisation

across Central Asia encourages

the continued flow of goods

along the trade routes.

BCE

3630

BCE

3630

CE

1ST

CENTURY

RISE AND FALL

OF EMPIRES

Just as China becomes

more stable, there is

mounting pressure on the

Western Roman Empire

that eventually leads to its

collapse. This is in part due

to mass migration of peoples

from central Asia, such as the

Huns, who also disrupt trade.

CE

5TH-6TH

CENTURY

After fighting

the Roman

Empire the Huns

eventually settled

and founded the

country of

Hungary.

CE

7TH

CENTURY

CE

1ST

CENTURY

CE

7TH

CENTURY

CE

5TH-6TH

CENTURY