The wealth and power of the East was the stuff of legend in Western Europe. The Romans were aware of a fine civilization, a possible rival to their own beyond the strength of Persia and they were keen to trade with it. We do know that this was going on during their time as they have been some very rare examples of the garments they wanted. The West wanted to buy and trade silk.
Silk is produced by certain larvae. It is taken and turned into incredibly soft and smooth garments and bed sheets. To the Western world it was quite the revelation. It was a world away from the coarse wool and cottons they had. A famous route sprang up, the Silk Road that linked the South of Europe through the near and middle East, up through India and into China. It would take several weeks and months to traverse it and there were natural and human obstacles along the way. If only they’d had a Same Day Courier Slough based firm to do it for them.
It wasn’t just Silk that was trade and exchanged. Knowledge and information was also passed along. For example, It is reckoned that this was the way that Buddisim made its way to Europe.