Wikipedia:Today's featured article/February 1, 2006

Much of the Radhanites' trade would have been carried by ships such as this dhow

The Radhanites were medieval Jewish merchants. Whether the term, which is used by only a limited number of primary sources, refers to a specific guild, or whether it is a generic term for Jewish merchants in the trans-Eurasian trade network, is unclear. Jewish merchants dominated trade between the Christian and Muslim worlds during the early Middle Ages, from approximately 600 to 1000. Trade routes established under the Roman Empire stayed open during that period largely through their efforts. Their trade network covered much of Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia, and parts of India and China. (more...)

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