This volume and the series 'Muziris', of which it is the beginning, have their origins in the observation that the cultural, social and economic history of the Ancient World is receiving increasing attention in contemporary research, but there are still research gaps are to be identified. These gaps result from two deficiencies: On the one hand, the inclusion of the rich documentary and archaeological source material is still inadequate. On the other hand, an attempt is rarely made to look beyond epochs, disciplines or supposed geographical and cultural 'boundaries'.

This is where the focus in this volume on economic activity between the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, the Ancient Orient and the Far East in antiquity begins. At the workshop 'Trade and Seafaring in the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean in Antiquity' held in May 2021, this large region and the sea and land trade routes connecting it were examined in the period from the third millennium BC. until the third century AD. from the perspective of different ancient studies disciplines. In addition to the literary sources, the focus was particularly on historical papyrology and epigraphy, but a lot of space was also given to numismatic and archaeological material. In all contributions and discussions, an attempt was made to also take into account the culture-specific value and rule systems that are evident in the sources in the context of economic activities in this area. In addition, a longue durée perspective was developed in order to be able to recognize and discuss structural development processes as well as continuities of cultural, infrastructural or economic connections.

Stefan Baumann, Kerstin Droß-Krüpe, Sebastian Fink, Sven Günther & Patrick Reinard: Vorwort

Noah Kröll & Sebastian Fink: Der Indienhandel Mesopotamiens: Ein Überblick

Stefan Baumann: Seafaring on the Red Sea in Pharaonic Times: A Critical Overview and Synthesis

Sven Günther: Patterns or Topoi? Modes of Socio-Economic Behavior of the Seres as Perceived by Greek and Latin Sources in Augustan Times

Patrick Reinard: Die römischen Infrastrukturmaßnahmen in der östlichen Wüste und der Indienhandel

Kerstin Droß-Krüpe: ex India rediens hic fuit – Dokumentarische Quellen zu den Akteuren im römischen Rotmeerhandel von Augustus bis in die severische Zeit

Leonardo Gregoratti: Ommana and the Parthian/Characenian Thalassocracy

Eivind Heldaas Seland: Palmyra and the Indian Ocean

Wu Tong: A “Progressivism” Adaption: Diodorus Siculus on the Erythraean Primitive Economy, Exploitations, and “Noble Savages”

Quellen / Sources

Index