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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;John Anthony, post: 1828068, member: 42773&quot;]Very nice. Sometimes I wonder about the relationship between the Sogdian and Nabataean civilizations. Arabian aromatics were highly prized in the ancient world, as far East as China, and it&#039;s highly probable that Nabataean caravans traveled the Silk Road, possibly all the way to Marakanda. It&#039;s intriguing to think that these coins may have been traded for frankincense at some point during its journey to China.</p><p><br /></p><p>From 138 to 144 BC, Chang Ch&#039;ien, the envoy of the Han Dynasty emperor Wu-ti, visited the Middle East, and mentioned a gift from the &quot;Arab king of jugglers from Rekeem (Petra).&quot; I believe this visit was was the outcome of earlier Sogdian trading relationships initiated by the explorer Zhang Qian.</p><p><br /></p><p>Was Chang Ch&#039;ien accompanied by Sogdian and/or Nabataean guides? It&#039;s an interesting thought, and makes me wish they had some historians that weren&#039;t so maddeningly averse to putting pen to paper.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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