Indian-Oean

  • Period: 2300 BCE to 1700 BCE

    Cotton Textiles

    India starts to produce and trade cotton textiles to replace the wool clothing worn in most countries up to that point.
  • 1000 BCE

    Sugarcane

    Sugarcane becomes a trade staple for India and Persia.
  • 1000 BCE

    Bananas

    Bananas enter the trade route.
  • 800 BCE

    Ivory

    Ivory is traded between Africa and India, Southeast Asia, and China.
  • 700 BCE

    Indigo Plant

    Indigo plant is traded and used to dye Chinese silks.
  • 600 BCE

    Dhow

    Dhows is used to transport merchandise.
  • 510 BCE

    Scylax of Caryand 510-515BCE

    Scylax makes voyage into the Indian Ocean and introduced the trade regions to Persia and encouraged more trade expeditions Persia.
  • 500 BCE

    Cinnamon and Cassia

    Cinnamon and Cassia enter the Indian-Ocean trade route.
  • 334 BCE

    Alexander the Great 334-323BCE

    Alexander the Great conquers Western Asia and begins Hellenistic Period.
  • 326 BCE

    Fleet

    A fleet from Indus River to Persian Gulf travels on behalf of Alexander the Great.
  • 323 BCE

    African and Mediterranean

    African and Mediterranean networks join into one with the Mediterranean trading wine and oil, India trading spices and pepper, and Persia and Egypt trading grain.
  • 323 BCE

    Ptolemies

    Ptolemies learns about the monsoon system in the Indian Ocean.
  • 300 BCE

    Isthmus of Kra

    The Isthmus of Kra, a thin piece of land that separates Indian Ocean and China Sea is crossed and allows travelers to trade more goods.
  • Period: 200 BCE to 500

    Funan

    The cities of Funan transfer trade goods from Indian Ocean and South China Sea into inland trade routes.
  • 138 BCE

    Zhang Qian

    Zhang Qian brings Chinese trade from Silk Road trade routes.
  • 118 BCE

    Cyzicus

    Cyzicus disappeared on the return voyage from the monsoon wind system.
  • Period: 31 BCE to 14

    Augustus Caesar

    A period of peace begins in Rome under Augustus Caesar that allows trade to flourish.
  • Period: 4 to 30

    Jesus of Nazareth

    Birth of Jesus in Nazareth who begins Christianity after crucifixion around 30 CE.
  • Period: 45 to 58

    Apostle Paul

    Apostle Paul travels and spreads Christianity around Mediterranean.
  • Period: 161 to 180

    Disease

    Due to contact with merchants, the Han and Roman empires suffer large-scale outbreaks of disease.