INTRODUCTION
Gupta Empire during 400AD
Picture of Chandragupta standing with Queen Kumardevi on a coin(Coins were usually the best way to see an image, since they last for a very long time)
ABOUT THE TRAVELLER:
Chandragupta I (pronounced "chun-druh-GOOP-tuh") reigned in the period c. 319-335 A.D. He was Ghatokacha's, the first famous king of the Gupta Dynasty, son. In a breakthrough deal, Chandragupta was married to Kumaradevi, the Lichchhavi princess and the city of Patliputra was given to him in the dowry. Therefore, he became the ruler of Patliputra. There were even several coins that commemorated the marriage of Chandragupta to Kumardevi.
He gained enormous power and used it to his great advantage. Chandragupta set about expanding his power, conquering Magadha, Prayaga and Saketa. He established a realm stretching from the Ganga River to Prayaga by 320 A.D. , beginning with a series of military expansions and pushing the kingdom's boundaries westward. Chandragupta was also the first to be referred to as 'Maharajadhiraja' or 'King of Kings;' which was an extremely high and mighty title.
THE TRADING ROUTE:
The Silk Road, or Silk Route, is an connected series of ancient trade routes through different regions of the Asian continent, mainly connecting Chang'an in China, with Asia Minor and the Mediterranean. It stretches over 8,000 km on land and sea.
Trade on the Silk Route was a factor in the development of the civilizations of China, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, Indian subcontinent, and Rome, and helped to lay the foundations for the modern world.
The Nature of the Route
The description of this route to the west as the `Silk Road' is somewhat misleading.
Firstly, no single route was taken; crossing Central Asia several different branches developed, passing through different oasis settlements. The routes actually started from Changan, headed up the Gansu corridor, and reached Dunhuang on the edge of the Taklimakan.
The northern route then passed through Yumen Guan and crossed the neck of the Gobi desert to Hami , before following the Tianshan mountains of the Taklimakan. It passed through Turfan and Kuqa before arriving at Kashgar, at the Pamirs. The southern route stopped at Dunhuang, passing through the Yang Guan and skirting the southern edges of the desert, via Miran, Hetian and Shache (Yarkand), finally turning north again to meet the other route at Kashgar.
Many other routes were also used, but to a lesser extent.
Secondly, the Silk Road was not a trade route that existed because of the purpose of trading in silk; other goods were also traded, such as gold and ivory. However, of all the precious goods crossing this area, silk was the most remarkable for the people of the West.
In the opposite direction furs, ceramics, jade, bronze objects, lacquer and iron were carried. Many of these goods were bartered for others along the way. Objects also changed hands several times.
Map of the Silk Road
Sources: http://images.google.com.sg/imgresimgurl=http://www.designerhistory.com/historyofashion/images/gupta1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.designerhistory.com/historyofashion/gupta.html&h=250&w=186&sz=10&hl=en&start=7&tbnid=ffH2M-DWEmJ6dM:&tbnh=111&tbnw=83&prev=/images?q=chandragupta+I&gbv=2&svnum=10&hl=en
http://edhelper.com/ReadingComprehension_42_69.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandragupta_I
http://library.thinkquest.org/13406/sr/
http://www.ess.uci.edu/~oliver/silk.html