title: The Weight of Silk: An Exploratory Account into the Developing Relations between Byzantium and China
abstract: History has repeatedly proven that the nation, country, or region that controls the most key raw materials will dominate the surrounding global networks, be they economic, diplomatic, or political. When narrowing this focus to ancient Eurasian cultures, there are two obvious global powers: The Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium) in the West and the Chinese Empire in the East (the Han Dynasty). While the scholarly independent research conducted on these powers is incredibly rich, what is understood 
journal: CSUSB ScholarWorks (California State University, San Bernardino)