Indo-Roman Trade: Why Roman Gold Coins Are Found in India
Ancient Rome ran a large trade deficit with India. Roman merchants paid in gold and silver for pepper, spices, silk, pearls and textiles, and hoards of Roman coins have been found across South India. In the 1st century CE, Pliny the Elder complained that India drained the empire of 50 million sesterces a year.
This documentary follows that trade: how sailors used the monsoon winds to cross the Arabian Sea, how stitched-hull ships were built to survive them, and the ports that handled it, from Bharuch (Barygaza) to Arikamedu and Muziris.
Chapters
00:00 Why are Roman gold coins found in India?
00:30 The maritime Silk Road
01:15 How monsoon winds powered Indian Ocean trade
02:23 When did Indo-Roman trade begin?
03:24 The port of Bharuch (Barygaza)
04:22 Arikamedu and Muziris
05:12 Why did Indo-Roman sea trade decline?
