Economy, Trade & Statecraft
Arikamedu: Indo-Roman trade port
c. 1st c. BCE - 2nd c. CEEarly historic Tamil tradersArikamedu (near Puducherry)Tamil Nadu
100 BCE
A coastal site with Roman amphorae and fine wares, evidencing direct India-Rome sea trade.
- Dated
- 100 BCE–200 CE
- As scholars put it
- c. 1st c. BCE - 2nd c. CE
- Originator
- Early historic Tamil traders
- Source text
- Arikamedu (near Puducherry)
- Region
- Tamil Nadu
- Discipline
- Economy, Trade & Statecraft
- Evidence
- Documented
- Confidence
- High
- Verification
- Reference-cited
Meanwhile in the West
A node in Indian Ocean-Mediterranean commerce.
Fair to say
Attribution of specific wares is refined by ongoing study.
Path to modern innovation
Physical proof of ancient globalised trade.
Transmission
Roman coins and goods reached South India; Indian goods went west.
References
- 1Wheeler
- 2later excavations
Further reading
Corrections and additional sources: edit IND-203 on GitHub.