Introduction

What evolved along the silk road was a highly complex system of trade stretching between Rome, China and the Spice Islands (South East Asia).

For a long period, Roman nor Chinese administration possessed direct knowledge of geography, political or social organisation of the other. It was the traders, from whom goods passed, that profited best from the indirect contacts between Rome and China, and the preservation of ‘trade secrets’, such as the sources of Gold and Spices, and the technique of manufacturing silk.

This arduous work was usually conducted by nomads of central Asia and mariners of Indonesia, who, as suggested by Loewe as underdeveloped, lower-class people.

What were the ecological factors faced by traders along the silk road?

In term of ecological conditions along Silk Road, there will be a focus on inter Asia’s ecological zones along Silk Road, which has four major ecological zones: forests, steppe (grasslands), deserts, and mountains.

Firstly, the forests zone along Silk Road. The trees of this area are evergreens, such as fir, spruce, and pine. In addition, forests are a plenty of sources of fur, timber and other products. The population of this area is small, which are living by hunting, fishing or trapping and they are not so importantly in the region’s history in the past.

Secondly, the steppe of Inner Asian stretches across Kazakhstan, northern Xinjiang province in China, and Mongolia. This is the “eastern half of the great Eurasian steppes. The peoples who founded the great nomadic empires—Xiongnu, Turks, and Mongols all depended on their herds (horses, sheep, camels) for survival. The inhabitant obtain milk, butter and cheese from animals which as an important part of their diet. And other animals are used for transportation tools. On the other hand, most people living on steppe are nomads, since the grass is