![]() ![]() Other contacts are reported taking place in 667, 701, and perhaps 719, sometimes through Central Asian intermediaries. This embassy presumably was sent by the Emperor Carus (282–283), whose short reign was occupied by war with Persia.Ĭhinese annals record other contacts with merchants from 'Fu-lin,' the new name used to designate the Byzantine Empire, the continuation of the Roman Empire in the east, taking place in 643 during the reign of Constans II (641–668). While several Roman Emperors ruled during this time, the embassy, if genuine, may have been sent by Severus Alexander since his successors reigned briefly and were busy with civil wars.Īnother embassy from Daqin is recorded in the year 284, as bringing presents to the Chinese empire. The presents consisted of articles of glass in a variety of colours. An expedition was mounted to return the merchant along with 10 female and 10 male "blackish coloured dwarfs" he had requested as a curiosity and a Chinese officer who, unfortunately, died en route.Īn account appears about presents sent in the early 3rd century by the Roman Emperor to Cao Rui of the Kingdom of Wei (reigned 227–239) in Northern China. The Prefect of Jiaozhi sent him to Sun Quan, who asked him for a report on his native country and its people. of a merchant from the Roman Empire (Da Qin) at Jiaozhi (near modern Hanoi). The Liangshu records the arrival in 226 A.D. The text specifically states it was the first such encounter with people from Daqin (大秦) - the Roman Empire - the west… The Hou Han Shu (後漢書) - The Book of the Later Han - which recorded the history of the Han dynasty, mentions Roman envoys sent to China as ambassadors of Emperor Antonius, in 166 CE. In 97 AD, the Chinese general Ban Chao unsuccessfully tried to send an envoy called Gan Ying to Rome, but he was only able to reach as far as Mesapotamia which was under the Parthian empire. In truth it needed but to look at their complexion to see that they were people of another world than ours. Nay, the Seres came likewise, and the Indians who dwelt beneath the vertical sun, bringing presents of precious stones and pearls and elephants, but thinking all of less moment than the vastness of the journey which they had undertaken, and which they said had occupied four years. Thus even Scythians and Sarmatians sent envoys to seek the friendship of Rome. ![]() ![]() The Roman historian Florus describes the visit of numerous envoys, including "Seres" (Chinese, or, more probably Central Asians), to the first Roman Emperor Augustus, who reigned between 27 BC and 14 AD:Įven the rest of the nations of the world which were not subject to the imperial sway were sensible of its grandeur, and looked with reverence to the Roman people, the great conqueror of nations. The trade relations between Rome and the East, including China, according to the 1st century BC navigation guide Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. China - SE Asia (Straight of Malacca) - India/Sri Lanka - Arabia (controlled by the Romans). The trade routes went back millenia back to when the Romans used to control ports along the Red Sea. A lot of them too going back to the Romans. Apparently, white people were in China before Marco Polo. ![]()
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