20.25
Transport & communications
  In addition to the concept of a functioning city, the concept of paved roads and marine transport (ships) are fundamental steps towards civilization.  
  In contemporary history, the inventors of the boat are believed to be the Egyptians around 2,000 BCE and the inventors of the sealed road, the Romans around 70BCE.  
  Yet, these two commonly understood beliefs have now been proven to be understated and inadequate, with ancient boats discovered in Sth America, Central America, Asia and the Pacific.  
  In terms of roads, it has been shown that the Gauls were master road builders and were the originators of most of the major ancient roads of Europe. In many cases, the Romans, copied or simply upgraded the existing road structures at least 300 years old by their time.  
  In respect to the greatest road network of the ancient world- the Silk Road(s) that wove through Egypt, Mesopotamia, Asia, India and Europe, excavation has now shown conclusively that the trade routes were in operation at least 2,000BCE.  
  The oldest mummies in Asia, are those discovered at a tomb in the ruins of a former trade route in China. They are caucasian, not Asian and are at least 2,800 to 6,000 years old. Their burial items indicate strongly they were fabric merchants and possibly the ancestors of those who brought the craft of fabric to China from the West.  
20.21.1 The importance of roads  
  The invention of the beast drawn carriage represented one of the greatest commercial inventions in human history. Whether it be oxen, or horses, the carriage enabled the transport of loads far too heavy to be moved over long distances by men.  
  The only difficulty of such technology is the requirement for terrain of a relatively stable nature. Ancient wheels of wood and metal soon fracture under the massive pressures of displacement caused by the shifting of a load over rocky ground. Unless the soil provided naturally firm and smooth surfaces, the beast drawn carriage could not travel safely over long distances.  
  Luckily, the surfaces of vast areas of the Middle East and Asia historically have offer good natural terrain for beast drawn carriages. In contrast, Europe has historically offered less reliable and boggy and mountainous terrains.  
  There is no question, the invention of the wheel promoted the development of roads. Nor is there any question that the development of roads promoted the development of trade.  
20.21.2 The ancient Silk Road(s) and Jerusalem  
  If you look at a map of the Mediterranean looking North, you see that the right hand side of the Sea is what we call the Middle East. behind and below, we call the region the Land of the Sinai and to the West we have Egypt, East we have Asia and India and North we have Turkey and Greece and South West we have Ancient Persia.  
 

Geographically central to all these regions is the position of Jerusalem on the hills within view of the sea and protected by a natural ring of hills and just two open passes (one being Jericho).

 
  In terms of Trade, Jerusalem was the New York trading hot house of the ancient world. Here, in vast open markets, valuables from all corners of the ancient world were traded. From spices from Asia, fine cloth, food and produce, jewels and precious metals and of course people.  
  There appears to be two golden periods of Jerusalem history- one around 1000BCE and another around 100BCE to around 10CE. The first is commonly signaled as the age of Solomon. There is no conclusive proof that the figure described in Jewish history actually existed. However, it is overwhelmingly clear from limited archeological research that Jerusalem as a place of settlement is itself over 6,000 years old.  
  The context of massive building programs of the size and scale described in the Bible and attributed to King Solomon around 1,100BCE is supported by evidence suggesting the foundation of the Temple and great irrigation systems pre-dating the Maccabeans. It is probable that this work could be partly funded by the massive wealth in trade through Jerusalem. It could also account for the contact between royalty from far away kingdoms such as Behersheba from Ethiopia.  
  It has now been shown that the trade routes through Asia, existed at least 2,000 years before the emergence of the Roman Empire. However, what is clear is that between 200 and 150 BCE, major parts of the Silk Road were upgraded to incorporate more efficient trade stops (like the ancient equivalent of road side motels and diners) as well as better sealing on large sections. Many sections of the ancient silk road in Asia that was in use around the time of the Romans has been dated as original work back to at least 200 BCE.  
  The second great period of growth appears to coincide with the major upgrade period of the Silk Road and the capture of Judea by Judas Maccabeas around 130BCE. This second period of Renaissance of Jerusalem coincides with a reformation of philosophical and religious thought throughout the ancient world, with concepts of Buddhism, Orpheus, Mithra, Zoroaster, and many other religions appearing to gain massive following. It is certain that those living in Jerusalem and specifically the Maccabean rulers of the time that they would have come in contact first hand with every major religion in the ancient world.  
20.21.3 The growth and importance of marine trade  
  While beast drawn land carriages offered new methods of transport over land masses, water based transport offers significantly heavier loads over even longer distances efficiently. The heart of vast trade between cultures has historically always rested upon efficient and safe marine transport systems.  
  In the ancient Mediterranean, it is the Phoenecians that are regarded as the greatest shipbuilders around 800 BCE - having created great armadas of military escorted trade ships. So too the Egyptians have finally been recognized as ancient mariners, not just river traders.  
  After the Phoenecians, the great ship fleets of the Persians and Greeks are regarded as the masters of the Mediterranean, with great tales of navigation and nautical skill exhibited in the tales of jason and the argonauts.  
  In Europe, it has been recognized that the Gauls themselves were master shipmen at least the same time as the Phonecians (1,000 BCE) and were regularly crossing rough conditions between the British Islands and mainland Europe. Their descendents, the Vikings are better remembered than they.  
  With ship trade reaching the entire span of the Mediterranean, regions of Greece, Italy, France, Spain, African Coast, Egypt and palestine have historically played strategic interests even up until the 20th century with the battles to control the Mediterranean  
20.21.4 The growth of piracy and the reliance on the Silk Road 80BCE to 30BCE  
  It is clear in the records of many ancient Civilizations around the Mediterranean that during the period 80BCE to around 10CE, trade around the Mediterranean waters was extremely dangerous and limited because of pirate fleets. With the destruction of the Great Persian and Greek fleets, no force, including Rome effectively controlled the Mediterranean until after the Tunisian campaigns by the Roman Empire eventually smashed the African pirate fleet bases.  
  During this period, the importance of Palestine and specifically of Jerusalem as a tactical prize grew. The capture of Palestine against the Maccabeans in 60CE by the great Roman general Pompey represents one of the most important strategic victories in the establishment of the Roman Empire. By controlling Jerusalem, Rome controlled the end of the tap of the Silk Roads.  
  As Rome improved and modernized each major trade stop within its provinces, trade flourished.  
     
     
 
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