The Greeks in Bactria and India c26.13

c26.13

There was never then in existence more than one independent statement about an Oxo-Caspian trade-route, Patrocles’ report to Antiochus I, and the word ‘easily’ shows that its real meaning was, ‘You can easily make a trade-route from Bactria across the Caspian to the Black Sea if you like.’ This is confirmed by Strabo’s *ἄπλους* and by Pompey’s enquiry whether such a thing was feasible. There is no evidence at all that, in Greek times, any such trade-route from India ever existed.²