During the height of the Roman Empire, India became a major source of luxurious goods that Europeans could not resist. Indian textiles, spices, gems, and handicrafts were highly coveted, leading to a massive drain of wealth from Rome to India. Pliny the Elder criticized this trend, particularly blaming women’s fashion for the imbalance in trade.
William Dalrymple’s new book, “The Golden Road,” argues that long before the Silk Road, India’s Golden Road connected the Roman Empire to East Asia, dominating a vast “Indosphere.” Indian merchants traveled on monsoon winds, trading goods like cloth, spices, jewelry, and furniture. India also had intellectual hegemony during this time, spreading Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sanskrit culture to regions across Asia.
Dalrymple’s book explores how Indian ideas and mathematics, including decimal system, algebra, and trigonometry, influenced the world. He details the development of these concepts in India and their eventual spread to Europe. A born storyteller, Dalrymple’s book is a personal exploration of a lost world where Indian ideas transformed societies.
“The Golden Road” is not just a historical study, but a love letter to the rich tapestry of interacting religious and intellectual movements in ancient India. Through vivid descriptions of temples, sculptures, and paintings, Dalrymple brings to life a world where Indian culture had a profound impact on global civilization. Dalrymple’s book is a reminder of India’s enduring influence on the world and its role as a great superpower of Eurasia.
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