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The Silk Road And Eurasia

Decent Essays

Established in 200 BCE, the Silk Road was a very prominent influence on the trade and the spread of ideas throughout Eurasia. Its original purpose was to link faraway lands and make trade a more accessible and important part of society, and while it served that purpose, it also had many other drastic effects on the societies and cultures of the involved lands. During the period 200 BCE - 1450 CE, the order of social structures and gender roles fluctuated, while the concept of the social construct remained unchanged in most societies. Culturally, religious customs and beliefs continued to play a prominent role throughout the region, but many traditions and values of different religions were influenced and altered due to their exposure to foreign cultures along the Silk Road. Around 200 BCE, when the Silk Road was first starting to spark new trade relations between continents, religion was central to most communities. Buddhism was gaining popularity in India, thanks to the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, who converted to the religion and encouraged others to practice Buddhism. Thanks to the routes of the Silk Road, the religion inevitably spread across Eurasia, sparking an interest in many regions. Christianity was another religion that gained popularity during the era of the Silk Road. After its initial prosecution in the Roman empire, the Roman emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, leading to a larger and more welcomed Christian community in the empire. When the

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