Lesson test: The sea route

1.[2p]
What property of the Indian Ocean shaped the trade there?

The monsoon reverses twice a year, so a ship crosses in one season and returns in the other

Correct

It has no significant currents, so navigation is trivial

The answer is: The monsoon reverses twice a year, so a ship crosses in one season and returns in the other

It freezes at its northern edge for part of the year

The answer is: The monsoon reverses twice a year, so a ship crosses in one season and returns in the other

Its winds blow steadily from the west all year

The answer is: The monsoon reverses twice a year, so a ship crosses in one season and returns in the other

2.[3p]
The Muziris papyrus values a cargo at 1,154 talents and 2,852 drachmas. Taking a talent as 6,000 drachmas and a drachma as one sesterce, what is the value in millions of sesterces?

CorrectNot quite: 6.93

3.[2p]
The Roman import duty was a quarter. How much is that on this cargo, in millions of sesterces?

CorrectNot quite: 1.73

4.[2p]
How many ceramic pieces, roughly, did the Belitung wreck carry?

CorrectNot quite: 60000

5.[2p]
The Belitung ship was built in China.

True

The answer is: False

False

Correct

6.[3p]
Why could a cargo of 60,000 Changsha bowls never have crossed Asia overland?

Overland freight would have cost several times the value of a cheap mass-produced bowl

Correct

Ceramics break on camel back

The answer is: Overland freight would have cost several times the value of a cheap mass-produced bowl

No caravan could assemble 160 camels

The answer is: Overland freight would have cost several times the value of a cheap mass-produced bowl

The Tang forbade the export of ceramics by land

The answer is: Overland freight would have cost several times the value of a cheap mass-produced bowl

7.[2p]
The Ming Shi gives the treasure ships as 44 zhang long. At 3.11 m to the zhang, how long is that in metres?

CorrectNot quite: 137

8.[3p]
Why is the maritime route less famous than the overland one?

Select all that apply

The name itself was coined for a land route

Correct

Overland travel produced travellers' tales while shipping produced bills of lading and wrecks

Correct

Marine archaeology only became possible with diving equipment from the 1960s

Correct

Far fewer goods actually moved by sea

The answer is: The name itself was coined for a land route, Overland travel produced travellers' tales while shipping produced bills of lading and wrecks, Marine archaeology only became possible with diving equipment from the 1960s

9.[3p]
Pliny complained that Roman coin drained east to pay for eastern goods. What is wrong with his argument?

Buyers received goods they valued more than the coin, and the state took a quarter of every cargo in duty

Correct

The coin never actually left the empire

The answer is: Buyers received goods they valued more than the coin, and the state took a quarter of every cargo in duty

The trade was in fact conducted entirely by barter

The answer is: Buyers received goods they valued more than the coin, and the state took a quarter of every cargo in duty

Rome imported nothing from India

The answer is: Buyers received goods they valued more than the coin, and the state took a quarter of every cargo in duty

1.[2p] What property of the Indian Ocean shaped the trade there?

2.[3p] The Muziris papyrus values a cargo at 1,154 talents and 2,852 drachmas. Taking a talent as 6,000 drachmas and a drachma as one sesterce, what is the value in millions of sesterces?

3.[2p] The Roman import duty was a quarter. How much is that on this cargo, in millions of sesterces?

4.[2p] How many ceramic pieces, roughly, did the Belitung wreck carry?

5.[2p] The Belitung ship was built in China.

6.[3p] Why could a cargo of 60,000 Changsha bowls never have crossed Asia overland?

7.[2p] The Ming Shi gives the treasure ships as 44 zhang long. At 3.11 m to the zhang, how long is that in metres?

8.[3p] Why is the maritime route less famous than the overland one?

9.[3p] Pliny complained that Roman coin drained east to pay for eastern goods. What is wrong with his argument?

1.[2p]
What property of the Indian Ocean shaped the trade there?

2.[3p]
The Muziris papyrus values a cargo at 1,154 talents and 2,852 drachmas. Taking a talent as 6,000 drachmas and a drachma as one sesterce, what is the value in millions of sesterces?

3.[2p]
The Roman import duty was a quarter. How much is that on this cargo, in millions of sesterces?

4.[2p]
How many ceramic pieces, roughly, did the Belitung wreck carry?

5.[2p]
The Belitung ship was built in China.

6.[3p]
Why could a cargo of 60,000 Changsha bowls never have crossed Asia overland?

7.[2p]
The Ming Shi gives the treasure ships as 44 zhang long. At 3.11 m to the zhang, how long is that in metres?

8.[3p]
Why is the maritime route less famous than the overland one?

9.[3p]
Pliny complained that Roman coin drained east to pay for eastern goods. What is wrong with his argument?