As Ancient As Globalization Itself

History is an amazing repository of knowledge. After listening to what seemed like the millionth debate that had taken place on globalization, I decided to do a little research to see what exactly these people were arguing about. As it turns out, Globalization was not a game that began with America or the European Union as I have heard some half-baked �experts� argue!
The earliest and most recognizable form of Globalization began in about the 5th and 6th century B.C. The great Silk Route of Central Asia became civilization�s flag bearer of cross-cultural trade. Silk, spices, minerals and precious stones flowed from kingdom to kingdom along this several thousand kilometer long amalgamation of horse and camel paths (this is not to discount the valuable service provided by hundreds of donkeys and mules as well!) the original traders were freight carriers who moved goods at their will. Though quite often a raiding party from some nearby murderous tribe or even Mother Nature herself would determine when and if these goods actually made it to where they were supposed to. Evidence of this comes from several pieces of silk and stones found in burial sites across the Mediterranean that date back to that time. Also writings such as the arthashartra from India, (the art and science of statecraft) talk about sinopatta or �Chinese cloth�. This work dates way back to the 4th century BC, establishing evidence of trade between these two countries to even further back in time.

Marco Polo and the others that followed him, including Magellan, Vespucci and Columbus were merely men fascinated by the possibilities of vast riches that would befall them should they establish similar trade routes by sea. Naturally since school kids till this day study about them, these guys obviously made quite a killing!

But what became of those pioneers? History doesn�t reveal much. What is known is the extent of this trade. Some experts believe it began as far east as the ancient Japanese capital of Nara and ended well inside Central Europe. The Romans ofcourse helped a lot by way of extending this route well up to England.
What this ancient trade route gave the world is something quite that cannot be valued. Some examples include Ice Cream, medicine, mathematics and algebra, tea, languages and countless other priceless contributions. So much for the ill effects of globalization! What would the world do without Ice cream in the summers? For that matter, what would the English do without tea on any afternoon?
Today, the Silk Route isn�t quite what it used to be. You�d be hard pressed to find caravans of camels and horses crossing the Great Plains and deserts of central Asia. The occasional goatherd may be found tending to his flock. If you�re lucky you may find a semi precious stone that got left behind in the carnage that followed some unfortunate caravan�s encounter with one of those marauding tribes. What you will never see in the stones and vast barren expanses is the legacy that this ancient global trade route left the world. It made men dream of great riches and some, of greatness itself. Some things, they say, never change!