Who was the Roman merchant named Lun and when did he reach southern China?
A Roman merchant named Lun reached southern China in 226 CE. This journey marked one of the earliest recorded direct contacts between Rome and East Asia.
Questions about Merchant
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did Phoenician merchants develop an alphabet that spread throughout Mediterranean regions including Byblos and Carthage?
Around 1500 BCE, Phoenician merchants developed an alphabet that was easier to learn than pictographic systems used elsewhere. This script spread throughout Mediterranean regions including Byblos in present-day Lebanon and Carthage in North Africa.
Where did the first known merchant guild form and what year is it believed to have been established?
A merchant guild formed in Tiel in what is now the Netherlands around 1020. It is believed to be the first example of such an organization.
What goods traveled relatively short distances in 1600 before the Age of Discovery opened new trade routes?
In 1600, grain moved five to ten miles, cattle forty to seventy miles, and woolen cloth twenty to forty miles. After the Age of Discovery opened Asia and the New World, goods arrived from much greater distances including calico cloth from India, porcelain, silk, and tea from China, spices from India and Southeast Asia, plus tobacco, sugar, rum, and coffee from the Americas.
Who manufactured garum fish sauce in Pompeii around 35 CE and how far did his product reputation reach?
Umbricius Scauras manufactured garum fish sauce in Pompeii around 35 CE operating from one of the city's wealthiest districts. His fish sauce gained reputation for very high quality throughout Mediterranean regions reaching as far as modern southern France.