[Sca-cooks] Silk Road timeframe, take 3
Terry Decker
t.d.decker at worldnet.att.net
Tue May 2 20:38:14 PDT 2006
> However, I seem to remember that Morgana may have been specifically
> talking about overland travel. Again the speed of this will depend upon
> the century. Some centuries it was unlikely or would at least take a lot
> longer because of the multitude of kingdoms on the way and which ones
> were at war with the others.
>
>
> Stefan
Until the Modern Period, the common speed over the Silk Road was the speed
of the Bactrian camel, except for the high altitude passes into India where
mules, yaks and men were the standard transportation. So end to end it is
about two years journey given peace and good weather. Banditry discouraged
travel outside of the caravans.
A light cavalry command with remounts and riding hard (a Mongol army) could
probably have done it in 120 days considering some of the historical
reports, but a bad season in the Takalmakan might have stopped them cold.
Mongol post riders would have been able to cover the distance in about 30
days.
I'm beginning to think spices did not travel over the Silk Road, but started
at either end and were traded into Central Asia.
It's a very big subject and I've barely begun to scratch the surface.
Bear
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