Ancient Worlds · Empires
The Silk Road
A web of routes, not a road: Han China's westward push, goods from silk to paper, Sogdian middlemen, the spread of Buddhism, Islam and technology, the Tang and Mongol peaks, the Black Death, and the maritime silk roads.
Step 1 of 6 · Overview30 min read ·
Key idea
Prereqs: Han China & the Mandate of Heaven; Rome. Next: Byzantium; Age of exploration. Sources: Peter Frankopan, *The Silk Roads* (2015); Valerie Hansen, *The Silk Road: A New History* (2012); Crash Course World History #9.Next: 1. What it was