In ancient times, trade was one of the most important systems in a civilisation. The things you traded were things you had enough of and produced well, the things you got were things that you didn't have much of, or couldn't produce.

Egypt


What did the Egyptians trade?

There were things that the Egyptians had and did not have. That is why trade was needed. Some of the things they could trade for were:
  • flax
  • parley
  • three types of wheat.

The Egyptians had plenty of things they needed to trade, and there were also things they needed. Some of the things they needed were things like:
  • gold
  • silver
  • copper
  • other metals
  • precious stones
  • panthers
  • giraffes
  • monkeys
  • other animals
  • many other similar things.

How were trading goods transported and secured?

Because the Egyptians were about at the same time as the Babylonians, they probably used the same system. Trade routes and boats were probably used in many civilisations, and it is a good way. They might not have had that many bandits because the Egyptian civilisation was mainly in the desert.

Babylon


Farming was the main industry in ancient Babylon, though after this trade was the most important. A king knew that trade could not be ended or else war would start as well as hunger. A king also knew that he could not raise taxes to start a big war. Kings often helped traders if they were captured by bandits.


What did the Babylonians trade?

A trader in ancient Babylon was called a Tamara. Not only did they trade objects, but they bought and sold goods, he was a wholesale, retail, a financier, an investor and an alternative for banking. Some of the things an ancient Babylonian trader would trade things like:
  • grain
  • dates
  • textile manufactures, etc.

These things they would trade for other goods such as:
  • tools
  • mineral
  • raw materials

from Iran and turkey,
  • olive oil
  • wine
  • wood

from Syria, and during the era of Samurai the Lamar, these goods were popular for trade:
  • horses
  • cattle
  • mats
  • construction material
  • minerals
  • wine
  • beer
  • cereals
  • textiles
  • wood
  • wool
  • clothing
  • other foods apart from those named.


How were different items for trade transported and secured?
trade1babylon.jpg
Transport of goods across a river and on land


Traders often used trade routes that were secured from bandits, often secured by a specific kingdom. When one kingdom had one trade route that was safe, no war would start. In ancient times, if a road was not safe, there would be war and traders often would be taken by the bandits. These trade routes were often the key to war, people would often fight about them. Traders would carry goods from other places with different materials that could be traded. These places would be India, Europe, Persia, Anatolia and Egypt.

I think that it would have been better if no one ruled the trade routes and there were no bandits. I think this because trade routes cause war, and if there had been no one to rule them, there might not have been as much war. The Babylonians also transported goods on the river, which I find safer than on a trade route. It would not be safe on the river if there were pirates, which I don’t actually know if there were.


traderoutesbabylon.jpg
These were the trade routes discovered from ancient Babylon. It shows where you could get different goods.