In frustration, the Romans sent out
parties of soldiers to follow the Silk Road, and find the source,
the people who were making the silk. Most of the soldiers never
returned. Those who did reported they could not find a way through
the desert. They had to turn back.
It was incredibly dangerous to travel
along the Silk Road. You faced desolate white-hot sand dunes in the
desert, forbidding mountains, brutal winds, and poisonous
snakes. There was one nice section, called the Gansu Corridor,
a relatively fertile strip that ran along the base of one of the
mountains. To reach this strip, you had to cross the desert or the
mountains. And of course, there were always bandits and
pirates.
Even the traders did not make the
whole trip. They worked in relays. Each trader would go a certain
distance, exchange their goods for other goods, and hopefully
return. The next would move along the road, trade, and hopefully
return. There were
three main routes, and all were dangerous.
-
Northern Route – Westward to
Black Sea
-
Central Route – Westward to
Persia, Mediterranean Sea, Rome
-
Southern Route – Westward to
Iran, India
The Silk Road took caravans to the
farthest extent of the Han Empire. Sections of the Great Wall were
built along the northern side of the Gansu Corridor to try and
prevent bandits from the north from harming the trade.
Over the centuries, the Silk Road
developed a civilization of its own. Where possible, the Silk Road
became lined with huge temples and booming cities. It became far
easier to travel the road. But it was never easy. There were still
vast stretches of deserts
and mountains to cross, with no city or water in
sight.
