Mad_Mullah Posted September 2, 2013 After the Roman conquest of the Nabataean Empire and the Roman naval presence at Aden to curb piracy, Arab and Somali merchants by agreement barred Indian ships from trading in the free port cities of the Arabian peninsula[41] to protect the interests of Somali and Arab merchants in the extremely lucrative ancient Red Sea–Mediterranean Sea commerce.[42] However, Indian merchants continued to trade in the port cities of the Somali peninsula, which was free from Roman interference.[43] The Indian merchants for centuries brought large quantities of cinnamon from Sri Lanka and Indonesia to Somalia and Arabia. This is said to have been the best kept secret of the Arab and Somali merchants in their trade with the Roman and Greek world. The Romans and Greeks believed the source of cinnamon to have been the Somali peninsula, but in reality, the highly valued product was brought to Somalia by way of Indian ships .[44] Through collusive agreement by Somali and Arab traders, Indian/Chinese cinnamon was also exported for far higher prices to North Africa, the Near East and Europe, which made the cinnamon trade a very profitable revenue generator, especially for the Somali merchants through whose hands large quantities were shipped across ancient sea and land routes.[42] LOOOL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miyir Posted September 2, 2013 somalis of the yesteryear not the new breed. I read once the profit Somalis used the make the cinnamon trade was 3000% not bad business. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Haatu Posted September 2, 2013 Somalis are still business savy and we're seeing the fruits today. colonisation, socialism and civil war messed things up but things are beginning to change now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites