Prompt Cast
Limited Knowledge and Rumors: Did the Han Empire and Roman Empire Have Contact?
TLDR The Han Empire in China and the Roman Empire in Europe had limited knowledge of each other, referring to each other by different names and primarily associating each other with certain goods. While there is evidence of limited trade and some interaction, there is little to no archaeological evidence of direct contact between the two empires.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
The Han Empire in China and the Roman Empire in Europe were the two greatest empires 2,000 years ago, and this episode explores whether they were aware of each other and had any contact.
01:48
There is evidence that China and Rome were aware of each other, but their knowledge was limited to rumors and stories, and there is little evidence of direct contact between the two empires.
03:28
The Chinese had limited knowledge of Rome, referring to it as Great Quyn and describing it as a city with stone walls and a ruler who was not permanent, and they were unable to have direct contact with Rome due to Parthian interference.
05:08
The Romans had limited knowledge of China, referring to it as Sirica and the Chinese as sirens, and they primarily associated it with the production of silk.
06:52
There is evidence of some Roman goods, such as coins and glass, being found in China, suggesting limited trade between the two civilizations, and there were a few envoys from the east who visited Rome during the rule of Emperor Augustus.
08:28
There is evidence of limited trade and some interaction between the Chinese and Romans, but most of their knowledge of each other was based on second-hand information and there was almost no direct contact between the two empires.
09:59
There is no archaeological evidence to support the legend that some Roman legions made their way to China after the battle of Charae, and recent DNA testing suggests that any European traits found in the region most likely came from Central Asia.
