The Sogdian Merchants of Yemen's Silk Road

While most history podcasts focus on the empires that ruled Yemen, this episode turns the lens to the merchants who connected it. We explore the hidden world of the Sogdian traders from Central Asia, specifically their communities in Aden and Zabid during the Rasulid period. Lucas traces how these Persian-speaking merchants brought not just silk and spices, but also Manichaeism and Nestorian Christianity into the Red Sea trade network. Luna helps us unpack the archaeological evidence found in Wadi Dhanah, including glassware and inscriptions that prove a cosmopolitan hub existed long before modern globalization. We look at specific figures like Qal'at al-Bahrain and the intricate web of trade routes linking Samarkand to the Tihama coast. This story reveals how Yemen served as a cultural crossroads, where foreign ideas took root in highland sanctuaries and coastal ports alike, shaping the region’s religious and economic landscape in ways that have been largely forgotten until recent discoveries.

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