Page 69 - SST Class 06

ambassadors to Greece for the propagation of The trade with the Roman
Buddhism. empire continued until
seventh century AD,
Info Bits
Info Bits when the Arabs took over
the charge, as the central
The Unani system of medicine was learnt by Asia came under their
Indians from the Greeks. rule. So, Arabs became a
link between India and
The contact with the Roman empire became the west. Augustus Caesar
pronounced in the later half of the first century BC
when Augustus Caesar (27 BC to 14 AD) became The Arabs learnt many concepts from India and
the ruler. The Romans had a large fleet of ships passed them to the western world. These concepts
which sailed to different lands for trade. They pertained to science, mathematics, technology
were very interested in luxurious commodities, and medicine. The Arabs learnt the numerals,
like pepper, spices, fine muslins, perfumes, pearls, decimal system and zero and passed them on to
gems, ivory etc. In return, they sold gold and the westerners. The Arabs call the numerals
silver coins, ornaments, wine, pottery, bronze Hindse which means ‘from India’. The numerals
statues and decorative pieces etc. are called Indo-Arabic system of numerals due to
the Arab-Indian link.
The trade with the Roman empire was in India’s
favour, due to which the people were worried that Activity
the Roman people would become beggars. Pliny , How important are our relations with other
a Roman historian, has written that the trade with countries? Write your views in not more than 100
India deprived the Roman empire a large amount words.
of money worth about 5,00,000 sterlings.

v The Sangam literature is an important source of information about the rulers in the Deccan and relations
with south-east Asian countries.
v Many kingdoms in South-East Asia were set up by Indian kings.
v India came into contact with Persia after Darius I conquered some provinces of the north-west.
v India came into contact with the western world with the invasion of Alexander the Great in 326 BC.

v India’s contact with the western world strengthened further under the rule of Augustus Caesar.
v Trade between India and western countries was in many goods and trade was in India’s favour.
v The overland trade between India and western countries was overtaken by the Arabs in the seventh
century AD.

A. Tick (3) the right option :
1. The number of remaining poems is put at ____________ .

(a) 2,000 (b) 3,000 (c) 4,000
2. The Arabs call the numerals ‘Hindse’ which means ____________ .
(a) out of India (b) from India (c) by India
Contacts with Distant Lands
69