Trade Around the Ancient World: By Sea

Trade among countries have always played a major role in their development. Whether merchants traded ideas, customs, items or religions; it all shaped the way we know the world today. In the beginning, early trade was done by foot. Merchants would go to major cities and trade with each other and the citizens. One of the most famous routes by foot was the Silk Road was a connection of trading routes where everything from silk to spices were sold. Soon, another form of trade began to become popular, especially among more developed countries. This was trade by sea.

Trade by sea was desirable for merchants traveling from China to Africa. It was easier and cost less because of the amount of cargo that the ship was able to carry and because it was able to carry heavier cargo. The Indian Ocean became an important trading route especially for trade between Africa and Asia. The Mediterranean Sea was a popular trading area during the days of the Greeks and Romans and the Egyptians traded along the Red Sea. Sea trade was not as common at first but it slowly gain popularity.

Waterway and trade by foot are no longer the only ways to trade merchandise, ideas and beliefs. Trade has grown and expanded. It is faster and more efficient. It is important to look at trade in the past especially since it influence the past so much that it changed the future.

Ways of the World, Robert W. Sayer

Axum: A Unique Ancient African City

Axum is an ancient city in Africa; this city is very different than the others found in Sub Saharan Africa. Axum adopted Christianity during the 4th century; which is also the time Constantine adopted it in the Roman Empire. King Ezana, the monarch of the time, decided to adopt Christianity. Today, Axum is known as the religious capital of the Christians of Ethiopia.

Axum was different from other cities for another reason. The city of Axum used plows to farm wheat and other crops. Most other cities used hand tools like hoes and digging sticks. Axum harvested wheat, millet, and barley. They also harvested a very unique grain to the region; teff. Teff is a highly nutritious grain that was hard to come by in Africa.

This may not seem very interesting, but if you think about the things that are present in the United States today; Axum was an amazing city in Africa. The main religion in the US today is Christianity and Axum was the first city in Africa to use it as their main religion. Their farming system is also very common these days; to harvest most of our crops we us big plows and other machinery. Imagine if we just used hand tools like hoes or digging sticks; I don’t think that would turn out so well.

My information can be found in the book Ways of The World by Robert Strayer and http://www.incredible-ethiopia.com/Axum.html.