Steel and silk -- Silk in Roman society -- The Chinese empire and the Xiongnu -- The discovery of the west -- Securing the silk routes -- The Kushan empire -- The Sogdian intermediaries -- Caspian routes and the Crimea -- Black Sea voyages -- The Sarmatians -- The Parthian empire -- Parthia and...

Intro -- List of Plates -- Acknowledgements -- Abbreviations -- Chronology -- Maps -- Introduction: The Ancient World Economy -- 1. Steel and Silk -- 2. Silk in Roman Society -- 3. The Chinese Empire and the Xiongnu -- 4. The Discovery of the West -- 5. Securing the Silk Routes -- 6. The Kushan...