the Silk Route was a series of ancient trade routes connecting Europe with Asia via the Middle East
Extending over 8,000 kilometres on land and sea, the Silk Route played a significant role in the development of the Greek and Roman Empires and the civilisations of Egypt, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia, India and China. The term “Silk Route” is attributed to the German geographer Ferdinand von Richthofen, who first used it in 1859.
Through a series of interconnected routes, the Silk Route facilitated trade and communication between Europe and Asia from as early as the 2nd century BC. It made a significant contribution to the development of technologies and commerce and also served as a conduit for cultural exchange between East and West over many centuries.
For those lucky adventurers who have travelled along the Silk Route, it evokes connections with a rich history and a world where ideas and capital travel without boundaries. The Silk Route has seen some of history’s most exciting figures including Alexander the Great, Zhang Qian (the imperial envoy), Genghis Khan and Tamerlane. It was Marco Polo who brought the majesty of the Silk Route to the attention of 13th Century Europe by providing a detailed description of his journey from Venice to Peking.
After centuries of neglect, the Silk Route is rapidly regaining its cultural and economic significance. The countries along, and adjoining, the Silk Route account for over two thirds of the world’s population and possess a significant part of its mineral resources. This area is also the world’s fastest growing economy and, through the rapid accumulation of wealth, it is becoming a large exporter of capital throughout the developing and developed world.
silkroutefinancial has, in a similar fashion to those early pioneers who travelled and worked on the Silk Route, identified the opportunity to match complementary economic needs and aspirations between East and West, and strives to facilitate the flows of capital and financial sector know-how, to and from this very exciting region.
