#20: A Global Spice Trade That Pre-Dated Columbus by Centuries
By 1500 BC, Indonesian sailors had established maritime spice trade routes connecting Southeast Asia to Sri Lanka, India, and China, laying the foundation for a global trading network. The Kingdom of Axum dominated Red Sea trade routes from the 5th century BC, and by the 7th century AD, Arab traders controlled key maritime routes, expanding spice trade across the Indian Ocean.
