Well pointed out by Jens, there is relatively little commonly brought into trade discussions about the important Indian merchant vessels.
Concerning ancient trade networks, it seems quite long established that trade between China, India and Rome and Greece were well known. As far as actual Roman trade colonies in India, it does seem that most scholars and in archeological literature generally accept that locations such as Arikamedu on the SE coast of India near Pondicherry were likely established locations to receive Roman goods.
It would seem that actually the many amphorae of Roman provenance and found in numerous regions were such 'received' goods and evidence of the use of these materials rather than actual Roman colonization. Actually from a number of archaeological reports, a good number of these have been found to be Mesopotamian, despite of course many indisputably Roman.
The discoveries of at least 10,000 Roman coins throughout the subcontinent, probably considerably more, is evidence of these used as a medium of exchange and of course for thier intrinsic value rather than presence of contingents of Romans.
The evidence of 'trade' cannot be disputed but not misconstrued as the presence of Roman colonies. The coinage and amphorae represent materials and exchange of the triangular trade of India, Persian Gulf and Roman Egypt and Red Sea ports. The ports of Myos, Hormes and Berenice were key ports in Egypt which were hubs in the trade networks, and as most commonly seen, exchanges in hubs were points of contact in these vast networks rather than traders enduring circumnavigational travels...it was relay and networking.
In these exchanges not only goods, but cultural influences, religions and all manner of humanities were included as well as tales of faraway places and peoples. The fabled exploits of Marco Polo have of course been contested and may be the result of second hand information, much in the same way.
As we study the history and development of weapons, knowing more on these trade circumstances is key in our understanding of thier diffusion.
As moved the goods, so moved the weapons as commodities as well.
Queequeg, thank you for sharing this item and for bringing up such a valid and important topic.
