论早期罗马帝国的东方贸易及其社会文化影响

Oriental Trade in the Early Roman Empire and Its Socio-cultural Impact

本文以跨文化的视野,考察了在古代丝绸之路上的重要国家罗马帝国对东方的陆路和海上丝路贸易开拓发展的历史背景、状况和社会文化影响。罗马帝国早期,征服战争中获得的大量财富、地中海地区的和平稳定、道路与港口的建设、城市化运动过程中境内各地区联系的加强,以及季风规律的认识与运用,为罗马从事远距离的东方贸易准备了条件。古代丝绸之路连接欧亚大陆的大部分地区和北非,是路途漫长的东西方商业网络通道,其贸易更多地呈现出商人分段控制的特点。处在西端的罗马帝国虽然曾与东端的中国汉帝国有过直接的商业联系,但它更多地是通过埃及、阿拉伯、印度、帕提亚、中亚等地的商人间接地获得中国的丝绸等商品。罗马帝国与东方多个国家与民族进行的丝路贸易产生了较大的社会文化影响,它改变了罗马人的生活方式,使他们产生了对丝绸和中国的初步想象;罗马帝国的东方贸易与古代丝绸之路上其他国家的商业活动一起,促进了丝路上不同文化之间的融合和宗教的传播;古代丝绸之路上佩特拉、帕尔米拉等城市作为商业中心在丝路贸易和文化交流中扮演了重要的角色。不过,古代丝绸之路上蔓延的传染病也对从事东方贸易的罗马人产生了不利的影响。

This article examines the historical context, status and socio-cultural impact of the Roman Empire, a critical state on the Silk Road, on the development of the land and sea-based trade routes with the East by using a cross-cultural approach. Enormous amount of wealth gained in the conquest war, peace and stability in the Mediterranean, the construction of roads and ports, the strengthening of the regional ties in the process of urbanization, together with the understanding and application of the law of monsoon provided conditions for Rome to engage in the long-distance Oriental trade in the early Roman Empire. The Silk Road in ancient times connected most parts of Eurasia and North Africa. It was a long-distance commercial network between the East and the West. The Silk Road trade showed the traits of segmented control by different groups of merchants. Although the Roman Empire at the western end once had the direct commercial relations with Chinese Han Dynasty at the eastern end, the Chinese silk and other commodities were mainly obtained indirectly through the merchants from Egypt, Arabia, India,Parthia, Central Asia and other areas. The Silk Road trade between the Roman Empire and many Eastern countries and nations had a significant socio-cultural impact, which changed the lifestyle of the Romans and aroused the rudimentary imagination of silk and China. The Oriental trade in the Roman Empire, together with the commercial activities of other countries on the ancient Silk Road, promoted the cultural integration and the religious dissemination on the Silk Road. As the commercial centers, Petra and Palmyra played an important role in the trade and cultural exchanges along the ancient Silk Road. However, the spread of infectious diseases along the ancient Silk Road also had a negative impact on the Romans who engaged in the oriental trade.