Towns and Trade in Ancient India

Trade has been believed to exist in India since 600 BC. This involved the export of spices, metals, and even textiles from India to other parts of the world. India’s trade flourished even in early times. Main goods traded initially were gold, and then eventually spices, and precious metals. The most traded goods, however, were textiles. Towns such as Pataliputra, Ujjain, and Puhar were major trade centres. Several routes were introduced in order to facilitate trade across cities and countries. These include the most famous Silk Route, that connected India to China and the Roman Empire. 

Towns in Ancient India:

• All major towns were situated along routes of correspondence.
• Pataliputra was on riverine routes. 
• Ujjayini, was along land routes.
• Puhar was close to the coast, from where ocean courses started.
• Mathura was a bustling centre of commercial, cultural and political activity.
• Initially, towns were divided on the basis of agriculture.
• As time passed, cities became subject to urbanisation, and hence towns became a part of ancient India.
• There were different kinds of towns, such as Trading towns, Political Towns, and Education or Temple towns.
• Trading towns were areas that were leading centres in trade in India.
• Political or Military towns were planned out politically and had abundant food and military equipment. 
• Education or Temple towns were centres of education and religion. Nalanda is an example of an education town. 

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Urban populations: Elites and Craftsperson

• Excavation at places where the kings and elites lived led to the recovery of various materials. 
• This included fine pottery bowls and dishes, with a glossy finish, known as Northern Black Polished Ware, used by rich individuals, and trimmings, instruments, weapons, vessels, dolls, made of a wide scope of materials gold, silver, copper, bronze, ivory, glass, shell and earthenware.
• There were dedicated religious engravings that mention the name of the contributor and determine his/her occupation too.
• They mention the people who resided in the town and their occupations, such as washing society, weavers, recorders, woodworkers, potters, goldsmiths, smithies, authorities, strict instructors, dealers and lords.
• Societies or shrenis, associations of art makers and dealers, are referenced, as they were needed to fulfil the developing needs of metropolitan elites.

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Trade in Ancient India:

• India has thrived in trade since 2600 BC.
• During Harappan civilization, gold was the mainly traded good in the country.
• The main goods that were initially traded included spices, textiles, as well as metals. 
• Textiles have been a part of India’s trade since early years.
• Trade led to the increase in economic status of India.
• This also promoted the growth of Indian culture. 
• One of the most famous trade routes of India was the Silk Route. 
• The Silk Route connected India to China, as well as the Roman Empire.
• Along with this, The Spice Route was a way of maritime trade. 
• The Salt Route, Incense Route, Tin Route, and The Amber Road are few more examples of trade in Ancient India. 
• Ujjain, Mithila, Surat, Kanchi, and Pataliputra were the main leaders of trade in India. 

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Trade in the Subcontinent and Beyond:

• From the 6th century BCE, land and waterway courses befuddled the subcontinent and reached out in different ways, 

• Overland into Central Asia.
• Overseas from ports into the Arabian Sea to East and North Africa and West Asia, and through the Bay of Bengal to Southeast Asia and China. 
• Rulers often attempted to control these routes by offering protection for a price.

• Vendors walked and shippers went with processions of bullock trucks and pack-animals.
• There were seafarers, whose ventures were risky but highly profitable successful merchants, designated as masattuvan in Tamil and setthis and satthavahas in Prakrit, were enormously rich.There were seafarers, whose ventures were risky but highly profitable Successful merchants, designated as masattuvan in Tamil and setthis and satthavahas in Prakrit, were enormously rich.
• A wide range of goods were transported like salt, grain, cloth, metal ores and finished products, stone, timber, medicinal plants, etc.
• Flavors like pepper, were popular in the Roman Empire, as were textiles and therapeutic plants.

Coins and kings:

• Punch-marked coins made of silver and copper (sixth century BCE onwards) were amongst the earliest to be minted and used.
• Generally, rulers gave coins, however all things considered, dealers, financiers and residents additionally gave a portion of these coins.
• The main coins to bear the names and pictures of rulers were given by the Indo-Greeks, who set up command over the north-western part of the subcontinent
• The Kushanas issued the largest hordes of gold coins (first gold coins), which were identical in weight with those issued by contemporary Roman Emperors and the Parthians of Iran.
• Roman coins found in South India indicate a wide network of trade in Southern India.
• Coins were likewise given by ancestral republics like the Yaudheyas of Punjab and Haryana.
• Spectacular gold coins were issued by the Gupta rulers, known for their purity. These coins worked with significant distance exchanges from which lords likewise benefited.

Conclusion

Ancient India saw trade since the Harappan civilization. The new cities that came up during the ancient times included Pataliputra, Ujjain, Puhar, and Mathura. Trade in the country during early years involved gold and then textiles, spices, as well as precious metals. The then-urban population is believed to have votive or religious engravings, gold, dishes and metals. Trade has existed in Ancient India since time immemorial. Routes such as the Silk Route, Amber Road, and the Spice Route were used to trade materials from India. Maritime trade, as well, flourished. In terms of currency, the Gupta period was perhaps the first to use coins that were punch-marked, made with silver and copper. However, only a certain type of coin was provided by a certain class of Indians. Trade has, thus, come a long way since it was first introduced.