Silk Road: Ancient Trade Route Linking East & West - Research Paper

Introduction

The Silk Road is an ancient cross-border trade route that linked the Mediterranean region to China. Ferdinand von Richthofen, a great German philosopher, geographer, and explorer coined its name in 1887. In this perspective, Ferdinand named the ancient trade route 'Silk Road' since it was a primary network that facilitated the transportation of silk commodities from the East to the West. The infrastructure played critical roles throughout the nineteenth century. It was a bridge between the culture and trade of east and west and it improved the exchange of goods and consequently enhancing the quality of life. Also, the Silk Road stirred the economy along the route besides being a critical network that connected strategic military sites.

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The Silk Road triggered economic prosperity and cultural exchange. This route facilitated the movement of merchants, caravans, diplomats, soldiers, pilgrims, and missionaries between the east and west. Around this network, people exchanged goods and services since it attracted significant commercial activities. Owing to the changing political and environmental realities in the ancient world, many people could follow the Silk Road when moving from one region to another. The travelers from the west could rest in secure places such as cave-shrines in Dunhuang that people regarded as a source of spiritual comfort and hence assimilating the Chinese cultures (Andrea 111).

The commercial activities along the Silk Road improved peoples' living standards. Many cultural and commercial centers developed along with the facility as people interact to exchange commodities. Merv is an example of an urban center that emerged alongside the Silk Road. This ancient town increased commercial activities as there were significant agricultural products from the East and West. Merchants could move from the neighboring cities to Merv to trade in agricultural produce. People earned income from the proceeds of exporting agricultural products to Egypt, Iraq and other countries. Economic activities and cultural interaction flourished in 139 BCE after the exploration of Central Asia by Han dynasty (Yang et al., 165).

The trade route enhanced the military superiority of the region. In this case, states along the network gained strength as they strived to control the Silk Road. Turkmen communities such as Gokturkmens, Hun, and Parfia increased their superiority in protecting its travelers and traders using the Silk Road network (Dinc et al., 4312). The Seljuk's in particular, gained military strength since it played critical roles in promoting political unity to enable people to use the trade route. The author noted that were needs for stability in the region for the safety of merchants and artisans that traveled along the width of the seas, mighty mountains, dense forests, and vast steppes. The trade route was critical since it facilitated not only the exchange of commodities but also ideas in arts, and science, culture, and the peoples' lives.

Conclusion

Conclusively, the Silk Road is essential to the development of international trade between the west and east. It connected people to engage in business and hence improving their living standards. Also, it was a bridge for the exchange of cultures among travelers, explorers, diplomats, and caravans. Since traders needed adequate security, many military strategic points emerged along the Silk Road.

Works Cited

Andrea, Alfred J. "The Silk Road in World History: A Review Essay." The Asian Review of

World Histories, Vol. 2, no. 1, 2014, pp. 105-127.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12773/arwh.2014.2.1.105.

Dinc, Ahmet, et al. "The Importance of Silk Road, and Merv in the Great Seljuk State's

Commercial Life." African Journal of Business Management 6.11 (2012): 4310-4316.

DOI: 10.5897/AJBM11.2889.

Yang, Liang Emlyn, et al. "The Role of Environment in the Sociocultural Changes of the

Ancient Silk Road Area." Past Global Changes Magazine 25.3 (2017): 165, http://www.pages-igbp.org/download/docs/magazine/2017-3/PAGESmagazine_2017 (3) _165.pdf. Accessed 15 May 2019.