HST 197 Chapter Notes - Chapter 12: Nutmeg, Rhapta
Document Summary
2 developments reduced the risks associated with trading long distance. Rulers heavily invested in construction of roads and bridges. Classical societies built large imperial states that sometimes expanded to the point that they bordered one another. Tempo of long distance trade picked up during this time period. They built several ports, one of the most important is berenice on the red sea. Knowledge of the winds enabled mariners to sail safely and reliably to all parts of the. Hellenistic mariners learned the rhythm of these winds from arab and indian seamen who ancestors who had sailed monsoons for centuries. Establishment and maintenance of these trade routes were an expensive affair , needing substantial investment in military forces, construction and bureaucracies. Long distance trade brought benefits to local economies. Spices, cosmetics, gems and pearls from india traveled by caravan and ship to. Groups of professional merchants emerged at rhapta and coins came into general use on the east african coast.
