The Roman Empire and the Silk Routes

The Roman Empire and the Silk Routes explains Rome’s position in the ancient world economy and offers perspective on Roman civilization and its legacy for modern society. This book investigates contacts between Rome and the powerful Empires of inner Asia, including the Han Dynasty. In ancient times, the Han Empire of China matched the Roman regime in the scale of its territories and subject populations. But the Chinese possessed superior crossbow weaponry and steel manufacturing techniques that outperformed the military technologies available to the Roman Legions. With this advantage, the Han created a system of Central Asian transport connections known as the Silk Routes. Ancient evidence suggests that one-tenth of Roman revenues came from taxing the Silk Route commerce that entered the Empire across its Syrian frontiers. The book also explores Roman rivalries with the Parthian Empire which ruled Iran and imperial dealings with the powerful Kushan Empire which seized power in Bactria (Afghanistan) and laid claim to northern India.