O YE DRYBONES : Part 2 of The Created Fall Of America (ROME) THE NEW SILK ROAD

The Silk Road is a name given to the many trade routes that connected Europe and the Mediterranean with the Asian world. The route is over 6,500 km long and got its name because the early Chinese traded silk along it. Although silk was the main trading item there were many other goods that travelled along the Silk Road between Eastern Asia and Europe. In the course of time, medicine, perfumes,spices and livestock found their way between continents.The Chinese learned to make silk thousands of years ago. For a long time they were the only ones who knew how to make this preciousmaterial. Only the emperor, his family and his highest advisers were allowed to wear clothes made of silk. For a long time the Chineseguarded this secret very carefully.The ancient Romans were the first Europeans who became aware of this wonderful material. Trading started, often with Indians asmiddlemen who traded silk with the Chinese in exchange for gold and silver which they got from the Romans.the goods along the Silk Road were carried by caravans. Religion, languages and diseases also spread along the Silk Road. Buddhism, which originated in India, spread to China along this route. European traders probably brought the plague from Asia to Europe along the ancient road. In the Mid -Ages decreased because of the decline of the Roman empire.