From very early on in its development Chinese people already be gan primitive business activities. With the progress of human civilization, long-range trade gradually appeared. The opening of the trans-Euro-Asia Silk Road injected robust vitality into commercial exchange, and the long-distance trade developed in full swing.

  In ancient times, when navigation was undeveloped, long-distance trade primarily depended on travel by road. The journey would often last for several months or years. Silk Road is just such example of a long trading route. People mainly depended on camels, horses and mules to carry their goods. A large trade convoy usually consisted of dozens or even hundreds of camels. In the heyday of Han and Tang dynasties, groups of traveling merchants and rows of commodities-carrying camels and horses came and went in an endless stream between the East and the West. The double-hump or Bactrian camels from Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia had well known for their strong carrying capabilities. They played the important role of "desert ship" in long-distance transportation over Pamirs and Iran Plateaus.

  The unprecedented brisk trade brought boom and prosperity to the ancient countries and city-states along the Silk Road. In its long period of more than one thousand years, the camel caravans always were the most attractive landscape on the horizon of Silk Road in the boundless desert.

Transnational Businessmen - Greeks and Jews

  In the time of Alexander the Great, all the land adventurers and navigation explorers were attracted to his side. From Marseilles to Babylon, Greeks were seen everywhere. In the early period of Roman Empire, Greeks and Romans dominated the trading markets boarding the Mediterranean Sea. Even in Rome, there were many Greek agents. They owned extravagant shops and stores in the capital. Greek became effectively a commercial language. Even Jews started to speak Greek too. Sailors and captains were mainly Greeks or Syrians. They sailed in the Mediterranean Sea, transporting Oriental products from Syrian coast and Alexander Port to Rome. And Chinese silk came on the top of the list for the merchants to transport westwards. On the return trip, they carried Italian wine and other products.

  Jews were entrepreneurs and had a long history of trade and marketing. They controlled a considerable part of the trade. They played an important role in developing the economies of Mediterranean nations. The settlements of Jews were scattered almost everywhere in the Roman Empire. They left their footprints on all the continents of the world. In Alexander Port, they monopolized the shipping. They exploited markets in Syria. They manipulated parts of the silk trade with the Far East.

  Jews in Babylon learnt textile process. Jerusalem and Alexander soon became major textile centers for Jews. Beirut was center for Jew Silk workers. As for printing and dyeing, it was also one of the very important specialties Jews mastered. In AD 2nd century, some professional silk units were consisted exclusively of Jews.

  Many of Jews also specialized in the manufacture of colored glass wares. Therefore, they could use glaze artworks, especially the famous necklace beads to pay for silk products. Among Jews there were many great businessmen and bankers. They had accumulated enough moneys and wealth to be capable of developing and participating a trade over a long distance. From AD 4th century, they were increasingly engaged in the operation of various exotic products, including silk commodities from remote China.