Oriental spices and their commercial trade have been key to much of the history of humanity and have been the main protagonists in the long-distance trade routes between the East and the West.

Spices have had a notable influence on the domination of the Ancient World. However, their importance is not usually emphasized in manuals or history books, neither in Antiquity nor in the Middle Ages, perhaps because there is little archaeological evidence of their consumption, since they were transported in sacks and dissolved in edible solids and various liquids. However, they have defined much of the commercial flows of the Middle Ages, promoted the discovery of new worlds, encouraged the creation of the first multinational companies and caused multiple confrontations for the monopoly of their trade, which is why spices such as pepper, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves have been decisive in much of the history of humanity.

You have in your hands the definitive work in which you will be able to learn about the evolution of oriental trade in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, with special attention to the conquests of Alexander, the tolls on land routes, the struggles of Rome against the Parthians, the direct relations between the Roman Empire and the Indian subcontinent, the later mediating role of the kingdom of Aksum, the collapse of the Roman imperial structures, urban continuity, the Islamic conquests and the European reaction with the Crusades, all processes in which the spice trade has played a leading role.

"Used since ancient Egypt in haute cuisine (saffron, mustard, sesame, caraway) and for embalming, and later in religious ceremonies (incense and myrrh); in classical times they were defined as merchandise of special value compared to ordinary articles, also referring to perfumes and ointments."