Role of Palmyra in the Formation of Roman View of the Far East in the 1st and 2nd Century

Abstract

Roman imagery of the far east could be influenced by the near-easterners either in ideological dimension or in interactive dimension. Since Palmyra was one of the most important cities that linked together Rome and the far east, this essay will discuss the role of Palmyra in the formation of Roman view of the far east in the 1st and 2nd century and try to resolve two main questions: How Palmyrene merchants as middlemen promoted the Roman maritime trades with the far east? Besides, what role did they take in the formation and progress of Romans recognition of the far east? Based on the analysis of archaeological evidences and Latin literature which respectively infer the operation of Palmyrene commercial network and Roman imagery of the far east, it is concluded that Palmyrene merchants activities and their complicated ethnic identity had brought positive effects to the Rome-far east trade through which geographical and material knowledge was accumulated and thus led to a refinement of Roman view of the far east.