{
  "bookName": "History of Christianity in India: Source Materials",
  "authorName": "M. K. Kuriakose",
  "publisherName": "Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge",
  "publicationYear": 2011,
  "chapterNumber": 1,
  "chapterName": "5-50. Trade Relations between the Roman Empire and India in the First Century A.D.",
  "pageFrom": 1,
  "pageTo": 1,
  "pages": [
    {
      "pageNumber": 1,
      "ocrText": "1. TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE ROMAN EMPIRE\nAND INDIA IN THE FIRST CENTURY A.D.\nStrabo, who lived during the time of Augustus, makes reference\nto trade between the Roman Empire and India. Strabo, 2.5.12.\n(5 A.D.) A short account is found in J. W. McCrindle, Ancient India\nas Described in Classical Literature, p. 98. A detailed discussion of the\nsubject is found in the first five chapters of A. C. Perumalil, The\nApostles in India.\nI was with Gallus at the time he was prefect of Egypt, and\naccompanied him as far as Syene and the frontiers of Ethiopia, and\nI found that about one hundred and twenty ships sail from Myos-\nHormos to India.\nPliny the Elder (23/24-79 A.D.) mentions voyages from the Roman\nEmpire to India and the pepper trade. Pliny, 6.26. His writing on\nthe subject is referred to in H. Wilfred Schoff, The Periplus of the\nErythraean Sea. p. 232.\nThe age that followed pointed out a shorter route, and a safer\none to those who might happen to sail from the same promontory\nfor Sergius, a port in India; and for a long time this route was\nfollowed, until at last a still shorter cut was discovered by a merchant,\nand the thirst for gain brought India even still nearer to us. At the\npresent-day voyages are made to India every year..\nPliny, 12.14. Schoff, p. 214.\nIt is quite surprising that the use of pepper has come so much\ninto fashion, seeing that in other substances which we use, it is\nsometimes their sweetness, and some times their appearance that\nhas attracted our notice; whereas, pepper has nothing in it that\ncan plead as a recommendation to either fruit or berry, its only\ndesirable quality being a certain pungency; and it is for this that\nwe import it all the way from India!\nThe Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (c. 50 A.D.), a travel account by an\nunknown author, also refers to trade between Rome and India. Periplus,\n52. Schoff, p. 43.\nThe market-towns of this region are, in order, after Barygaza:\nSuppara, and the city of Calliena, which in the time of the elder\nSaraganus became a lawful market-town; but since it came into\nthe possession of Sandares the port is much obstructed, and Greek\nships landing there may chance to be taken to Barygaza under\nguard.\nH.C.I.-1",
      "status": "completed"
    }
  ]
}