Indo Roman Trade

Indo Roman Trade at a Glance

	Details
Time Period	Primarily during the 1st century BCE to the 3rd century CE.
Main Participants	Indian subcontinent (especially South India) Roman Empire
Key Indian Ports	Muziris (modern-day Kerala) Arikamedu (near Puducherry) Barygaza (modern Bharuch, Gujarat)
Main Roman Ports	Alexandria in Egypt (as a major transit port) Ostia (port of Rome)
Goods Exported from India	Spices (especially black pepper) Textiles (cotton, silk) Precious stones and pearls Ivory Exotic animals
Goods Imported to India	Roman gold and silver coins Wine Olive oil Glassware Luxury goods such as pottery and bronzeware
Trade Routes	Maritime routes through the Red Sea and Arabian Sea Land routes through the Persian Empire (Silk Road)
Roman Influence	Establishment of Indo-Roman communities in trade hubs like Muziris and Arikamedu Roman architectural influence in certain coastal cities
Economic Impact	India accumulated large quantities of Roman gold and silver, leading to a drain of wealth from the Roman Empire Stimulated urbanization and economic growth in Indian ports
Cultural Exchange	Introduction of Roman art and architecture in Indian coastal areas Influence on Indian pottery styles
Decline of Trade	Decline began in the 3rd century CE due to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire Increased Persian control over trade routes

Sources of Indo Roman Trade Relations

Sangam literature	Reference of Roman ships sailing in the Periyar River Import of gold and wine Export of black pepper.
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea It was written between 40 and 70 A.D., and served as a crucial guide for merchants and shippers departing from the ports of Roman Egypt on the Red Sea. This ancient maritime manual provided essential information for those engaged in trade with the eastern coast of Africa, Arabia, and India.	Details about ports on the Gujarat coast and the Indus Delta Gives a detailed account of the internal and external trade of India. Export of goods to the Roman Empire
Pliny	Reference about the flow of Roman gold into India
Roman Coins

A piece of pottery with ancient Tamil-Brahmi script was recently found in Khor Rori, Oman. The writing says “nantai kiran” and is about 1900 years old, from the first century CE. This find in the old city of Sumhuram helps us learn more about the trade with the Roman Empire.

Indo Roman Trade in Ancient India

• In the first few centuries after the birth of Christ, India had a profitable trade relationship with the Roman Empire.
• Roman Empire was India’s main foreign market.
• Indian goods especially luxury goods such as various gems and pearls, perfumes, spices, silk, and muslin were in great demand in European countries. In return, part of the gold treasure of the Roman Empire was imported to India.
• There are many references to the importance of foreign trade in Tamil literature.

Indo Roman Trade Routes

The trade route during the Indo-Roman trade primarily consisted of both maritime and overland routes connecting the Indian subcontinent with the Roman Empire.

These trade routes enabled the exchange of a variety of commodities, including spices, textiles, gems, ivory, and more, contributing to the economic prosperity and cultural diffusion between ancient India and Rome.

Maritime Routes

• Red Sea Route:
  • Goods from the Indian subcontinent were transported across the Arabian Sea to ports such as Berenice and Myos Hormos on the Red Sea coast of Egypt.
  • Berenice is an ancient seaport of Egypt on the western shore of the Red Sea.
  • Myos Hormos was a Red Sea port in modern-day Egypt. It was founded by Ptolemy II Philadelphus (Pharaoh of Ptolemaic Egypt from 284 to 246 BC).
• Arabian Sea Route: Ships sailed from ports along the western coast of India, such as Barygaza (modern-day Bharuch) and Muziris (modern-day Kodungallur), to various destinations in the Arabian Peninsula and the eastern coast of Africa.

Overland Routes

• Silk Road: Caravans traversed the overland Silk Road, connecting India with the Roman Empire through Central Asia. This route facilitated the exchange of goods and cultural influences between the two regions.
• Trans-Indus Routes: Overland routes connected the northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent, such as the area around Taxila, with the Persian Empire, which in turn had trade connections with the Roman Empire.

Major Ports of Indo-Roman Trade

Ports	Modern Location
Barbaricum	Karachi (Pakistan)
Barygaza	Bharuch in Gujarat
Muziris	Present-day Kodungallur, north of Kochi A major port city of Chera Kingdom
Korkai	It was the capital and important port of the Early Pandyan Kingdom.
Kaveripattinam	Located near the mouth of the Kaveri river

Notable Sites with Roman Artifacts in India

Sites	Key Findings
Vasavasamudram (near Mamallapuram)	conical jars and neck of an amphora
Arikamedu (near Pondicherry)
Karaikadu (near Cuddalore)
Kaveripumpattinam at the mouth of River Kaveri (Thanjavur Dist)
Uraiyur the ancient capital of the Cheras (Trichy Dist)
Karur, the ancient Capital of the Cheras	Roman coins, Roman Amphorae
Alagankulam near Rameshwaram	Roulette ware and Amphora jar pieces Roman coins that contain the figure of the head of the Roman Emperor on one side and the figure of the goddess of victory, holding a globe on the other side.

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