An Overview of the Trade in the Muslim and Byzantine Empires

Trade in the Muslim and Byzantine Empires

Trade, by definition, is the exchange of a good for another product. This plays a critical role in the economy, and the success of any civilization. Trade between civilizations is the primary factor for the development of empires and economic profitability, and has a direct correlation with how successful the country is.

Due to the fact that it is not possible for a civilization to produce enough of everything that they need, trade helps resolve that problem.

Both sides of the party gained and profited something. Both the Muslim and Byzantine empires valued the significance of trade, and even though each civilization utilized it differently, trade still played a huge role in the development of both empires. Trade benefited the Muslim Empire in many ways. The trade between Muslims and the empires of Middle East made a hugely profitable trading network,over both land and sea (Beck 172). The Muslim Empire would trade things they had enough of, and in exchange receive goods they needed.

Among the products that they imported were silk, silver, gold, and most importantly salt.

They also majorly exported sugar, paper, and horses (Nanji). Trade with the far east was helped greatly by the famous Silk Road, which stretched all the way from Baghdad to China (Morris; Manuela). All this led to a banking system that issued a single currency during the Abbasid period, and many banks were set up throughout the Muslim empire (Beck 172). In result of this, trade flourished throughout the various provinces that made up the mighty Muslim Empire, providing a healthy economy for the empire’s citizens.

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Trade was a major economic foundation in the Byzantine Empire. The heavily commercial capital, Constantinople, was a crucial trading city located on the important east-west and north-south trade routes, and was an entrepot where goods from all over the world arrived and could be sold upon. The city was renowned for its many merchants and markets, and attracted many foreigners (Harris. Grain and silk were the empire’s most important sought after commodities, and other commonly traded goods were wine, oil, salts, timber, waxes, and woven clothes (Harris).. Luxurious products that were exported included gold, carpets, spices, and perfumes (Harris).

Merchants from Russia and Western Europe were extremely eager to buy up spices and silks, which would then be sold for extreme prices back home (“Byzantine Trade” ABC-CLIO). In the end, crusades and invasions from different civilizations hurt the Byzantine empire’s trade and economic situation, which in result would lead to the empire’s collapse. Trade in the Muslim and Byzantine empires were very similar in many ways. Both civilizations valued the importance of trade and benefited from it. The Silk Road also played a critical factor in the success of their economies. These similarities exist because both empires were both very successful to the result of trade. Since the two empires had trading relationships with each other, the trade between Byzantine and Islamic civilizations also brought cultural exchange. For example, slaves were traded (Harris).

The slaves who settled in Islamic territory converted to Islam, and vice versa, but they also brought their native cultures to them (“Nanji”). The constant flow of people and goods meant that innovations from one civilization moved quickly to another. Both empires knew how important trade was to maintain a healthy economy, and both civilizations helped spread new ideas, culture, and innovations across the world. It is important to analyze the trade of both the Muslim and Byzantine empires because they were both economically successful civilizations in ancient history. Trade was a vital reason in their success. It tells us the impact it had on both economies, and why it so critical to everyday life. In conclusion, foreign trade not only was a critical part of both the Muslim and Byzantine empire’s economic development, but it also helped spread new idea, cultures, and innovations around the world.

Works Cited

1. Beck, Roger B. World History and Geography. Orlando: Houghton, 2012. Print.
2. Harris, Jonathan. “Best Of Enemies.” History Today 63.2 (2013): 17. MAS Ultra – School Edition. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.
3. Morris, Neil, and Manuela Cappon. The Atlas of Islam. Hauppauge: Barron’s Educational Series, 2003. Print.
4. Nanji, Azim A. The Muslim Almanac. New York: Gale, 1996. Print.
5. “Transcript: Byzantine Trade.” World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO,2015. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.