History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c39.s4.3

v1.c39.s4.3

The Roman empire had an abiding interest in the Chinese silk and the Indian spices, precious gems, steel etc. but the Parthians of Iran provided considerable obstacles for the direct Roman trade. This barrier was removed when Hippalos discovered (before 14 A.D.) monsoon trade wind for direct trade with south India; the Buddhist Kuṣāṇas and Śātavāhanas (of Andhra Pradesh, also ruling over the western Deccan) collaborated with the Romans and allowed a new silk route through Mathura, Ujjaini and the port of Barygaza. Mathura rapidly became a transit trade centre, also promoting various new crafts like silk weaving, sculptural arts, brass casting and so on. The diamond mine of Eastern Malwa were exploited by the Kuṣāṇas and later the Scythians during the Ist-2nd century A.D. (Mukherjee, 1970). Though invaders, they gradually integrated themselves into the cultural mainstreams in India.