India-West Asia Trade in Ancient Times: 6th Century BC to 3rd Century AD

The commercial intercourse between India and West Asia can be traced out from antiquity. If one leaves out the commercial relations between West Asia and India in the bronze Age phase (3rd Millennium B.C.), then in the historical period a clear picture of this trade can be presented from 6th century B.C. with continuity. The economic history of Indian subcontinent was initially dominated by the study of agrarian economics. The recognition of significance of trade became a topic of interest among the historians in the later phase, to discuss the trade of a subcontinent like India, spreading from the Himalayas to Kanykumari, is not an easy task. A commercial intercourse between the two lands cannot be weighted on the basis of exchange of goods only. Therefore, researchers focus not only on trade but also consider allied topics like social, political and cultural matters. The present book examines various trade related activities at different levels including social bars, which were an impediment in the path of development of trade. Therefore, the social attitude of trade and traders and the attitude of ruling classes towards the foreign trade are also highlighted in this book. The covers the period from 6th Century BC to 3rd century AD. The trade of India and West Asia during this period varied from one region to another. Specifically, the work seeks to explain (a) how the forces of exchange of commerce became an important part of the study of Indian trade history (b) the impact of political relations on trade, in addition to exchange of goods, (c) the elaborate arrangement of Mauryas to get control over trade and exchange of cultural ingredients and (d) exchange of goods, market places, system of transport and communication etc. In commercial relations during the period under study.