COMMERCE OF INDIA. 



209 



foresight of Alexander, in choosing this spot for an emporium 

 was duly appreciated. 



The powerful empire of the Parthians was inimical to the 

 Romans, the transmission of Chinese and Indian goods across 

 Mesopotamia was inhibited, and though the way along the 

 Oxus and by the Caspian sea was still open, the direct sea 

 trade offered now greater advantages. Under those circum- 

 stances, a bright future dawned on Alexandria, especially 

 since a steersman, named Hippalos, re-discovered the existence 

 of the south-west monsoon, the knowledge of which had 

 fallen into oblivion since the times of the Phoenicians, and 

 the grateful sailors called henceforth this south-west monsoon 

 Hippalos. 



The voyage to India was generally undertaken from Kane, 

 the modern Hadramaut, or perhaps from a harbour nearer to 

 Cape Grardafui. The more the commerce increased between 

 India and the Roman Empire, the greater progress was also 

 made in the art of navigation. The Western trade was 

 viewed in India with favorable eyes, and the occasional 

 embassies which were sent from India to Roman Emperors 

 show this fact plainly. Thus we hear of Indian envoys 

 with precious presents being sent to Augustus, Claudius, 

 Antoninus Pius and Julianus. 



With respect to the knowledge concerning India, it is 

 certain, that the author of the Periplus did not double Cape 

 Komorin, but Plinius was acquainted with the Koromandel 

 Coast and Ptolemy's knowledge embraced Burmah and even 

 China. This country was visited by a Greek merchant 

 Alexandros, who stopped at Kanton, Markianos of Heraklea 

 and Ammianus Marcellinus provide on these points still 

 more accurate accounts. We may perhaps be allowed to call 

 Naustathmos (Karaci), Theophila (Suradara) in Gujarat, 

 Byzantium on the Malabar Coast and other places Grecian 

 colonies. 



