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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;medoraman, post: 2517473, member: 26302&quot;]I have been thinking about this coin more recently. I know others here have examples of it. I just purchased this example yesterday due to the reverse:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]536324[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>ARABIA. Bostra. Trajan (98-117). Drachm.</p><p>Obv: AYTOKP KAIC NEP TRAIANW ARICTW CEB ΓΕΡΜ ΔΑΚ.</p><p>Laureate and cuirassed bust left.</p><p>Rev: ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATO S.</p><p>Camel standing left.</p><p>Kindler Pl. VI, 12.</p><p>Weight: 3.12 g.</p><p>Diameter: 19 mm.</p><p><br /></p><p>Most people here know of the Silk Road. It went from China to the Roman Empire carrying Silk and other exotic items. Most know that it passed from China, through Sogdian and Persia, and on to Constantinople. Here is a map with the Silk Road in orange, and Indian trade in blue:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]536327[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>So, knowing this, why would a Bactrian camel be shown on a coin from a town in the middle of the desert, where the Silk Road didn&#039;t travel to? There are two types of camels, dromedary, (one humped), or Bactrian, (two humped). The coin clearly shows a Bactrian camel, including the fur under the neck. Dromedary camels do not have furry necks like this.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]536328[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>So we have a coin on the spice road,(southern modern day Syria), which uses dromedary camels, showing Bactrian camels. Clearly they knew what a dromedary camel looked like. The key to this coin is knowing there were TWO Silk Roads. The &quot;classic&quot; Silk Road was the northern one pictured. This became the standard route only after the Kushans destroyed most towns and villages in Bactria. Before, the Silk Road was much more diverse and southerly and include India more. After the Kushans destroyed travel in the area, the Romans found a way to trade with India navally and the Silk Road moved north forever, with Indian trade being done on the ocean.</p><p><br /></p><p>However, in the second century when Trajan conquered Bostra, the city must have been a international trading hub, with the Spice route running from the south, and the Silk road from the east. In Bostra, both rich trade routes merged, and continued on to Rome. No wonder why Trajan wanted to control this city founded by the famous Nabatean traders. No sense allowing Persia to control such wealth.</p><p><br /></p><p>Isn&#039;t it cool how a tiny little difference, (species of camel), can tell such an interesting story?[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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