When Roman merchants and soldiers came to Madurai to trade in pepper

Source: The post is based on the article “When Roman merchants and soldiers came to Madurai to trade in pepper” published in The Hindu on 25th May 2023

What is the News?

This article discusses the historical trade routes between Roman merchants and the city of Madurai (Pandya Dynasty).

What are the historical trade routes between Roman merchants and Madurai?

The Roman traders used to take advantage of the monsoonal winds blowing in the Arabian Sea to reach the ports in Kerala.

It was a 45-day journey from a port in Egypt to Musiri in Kerala. From there, they would make the journey by road to cross the Western Ghats.

Cumbum pass and Thandikudi pass: Excavations in this area had yielded silver coins engraved with the bust of Caesar Augustus.

These routes would have been treacherous as they curved their way around the thick shola forests that covered these ghat sections.

Shencottah Pass: This route was taken by traders of precious stones. Wealthy Romans adorned themselves with pearls sourced from Korkai and other precious ornaments from the region.

Post-trade, these traders took the land route to reach the ports on the east coast — Alagankulam, Arikamedu, Kaveripattinam, Kayalpattinam, Korkai, Mamallapuram, Nagappattinam, Periyapattinam and Devipattinam.

About the trade between Romans and Pandyas

Various poems of the Sangam Literature talk of how the tall and burly ‘yavanas’(Romans) rubbed shoulders with the local inhabitants.

The ‘yavanas’ brought with them their rich and glossy pottery known as Arretine Ware which was much sought after by the kings. They also brought with them gold. Some historians say they introduced the people to wine made from grapes.

To buy pepper from its source, a trading centre was established at Thandikudi as early as the 13th Century.

An early form of corporate social responsibility initiative can be traced to the fact that traders constructed tanks and temples during their journey so as to create an atmosphere of goodwill among the local population.

The popular merchant guilds in ancient Tamil Nadu were Ainootruvar, Mani Grammathar, Pathinen Visaayathar and Anjuvannam. These guilds had members who were not only traders but also those who had ships with their own army of soldiers.

What was the significance of Madurai?

Madurai, the capital of the Pandyas, was built around the Meenakshi Sundaraswarar Temple, which many believe was built in the first Century CE.

The city of Madurai was built in the form of a lotus on the southern banks of the Vaigai river. Like the unfurling petals of the lotus, various streets, exclusive for trades, radiated from the centre.