The history of international trade chronicles notable events that have affected the trade between various countries.

In the era before the rise of the nation state, the term 'international' trade cannot be literally applied, but simply means trade over long distances; the sort of movement in goods which would represent international trade in the modern world.

Ancient[edit]

• Records from the 19th century BC attest to the existence of an Assyrian merchant colony at Kanesh in Cappadocia.^[1]

• The domestication of camel allows Arabian nomads to control long distance trade in spices and silk from the Far East.^[2]

• The Egyptians trade in the Red sea, importing spices from the "Land of Punt" and from Arabia.^[3]

• Indian goods are brought in Arabian vessels to Aden.^[3]

• The "ships of Tarshish", a Tyrian fleet equipped at Ezion Geber, make several trading voyages to the East bringing back gold, silver, ivory and precious stones.^[3]

• Tiglath-Pileser III attacks Gaza in order to control trade along the Incense Route.^[4]

• The Greek Ptolemaic dynasty exploits trading opportunities with India prior to the Roman involvement.^[5]

• The cargo from the India and Egypt trade is shipped to Aden.^[5]

Roman trade with India according to the Periplus Maris Erythraei, 1st century CE.

• The Silk Road is established after the diplomatic travels of the Han Dynasty Chinese envoy Zhang Qian to Central Asia, with Chinese goods making their way to India, Persia, and the Roman Empire, and vice versa.

• With the establishment of Roman Egypt, the Romans initiate trade with India.^[6]

• The goods from the East African trade are landed at one of the three main Roman ports, Arsinoe, Berenice or Myos Hormos.^[7]

• Myos Hormos and Berencie (rose to prominence during the 1st century BCE) appear to have been important ancient trading ports.^[6]

• Gerrha controls the Incense trade routes across Arabia to theMediterranean and exercises control over the trading of aromatics toBabylon in the 1st century BC.^[8] Additionally, it served as a port of entry for goods shipped from India to the East.^[8]