WI the silk road was developed during Antiquity?

What would have happened if the chinese sent explorers west during the high antiquity? The reasons for China to send explorers west could be many, but perhaps some emperor declared that Chinas borders must be expanded or something like that. This situation of course assumes that the chinese had the capability to mount such an expedition and actually make it to at least the middle east. But as I'm no expert in the field of chinese history, I ask you if this could be possible during the antiquity. And if it's possible, what would the possiblities for a trade route to develop be?
 
How far back are you thinking? The silk road was active during Roman times, according the archeological finds of Chinese and Roman artifacts in the other's backyard.
 
The first noteworthy Chinese explorer of Central Asia was Zhang Qian during the Han dynasty. This would be in the late Hellenistic Period. Should the Silk Road come into prominence earlier during the Qin dynasty or the Warring States, one could imagine significant impact on the philosophical traditions of Greece and China. The world as we know it would not exist.
 
I'm thinking before the time of the roman empire, during Greece's high period.

Hmm...The Greek high period coincided with the Warring States period, which was necessarily a highly internalized era of Chinese history. The only way I think you could achieve this is by having a stronger, longer-lasting Zhou kingdom that expands further to the old Chinese northwest, combined with a Persian Empire that expands farther into Central Asia. This would create sufficient contact for a mutual trading arrangement to develop.

If the Persians were focused on Central Asia, they might not attack Greece as strongly, preventing animosity and promoting trade between the two civilizations. The main thing is first obtaining the expansionist Zhou Empire (hard because we have very few concrete PODs to work with at that point in Chinese history), and getting the Persians to enter Central Asia. What's in that region that the Persians might be interested in obtaining? Maybe they just invade to take out the nomads who menace Persia itself, and establish a lasting presence with a tribute system to keep it that way.
 
The first noteworthy Chinese explorer of Central Asia was Zhang Qian during the Han dynasty. This would be in the late Hellenistic Period. Should the Silk Road come into prominence earlier during the Qin dynasty or the Warring States, one could imagine significant impact on the philosophical traditions of Greece and China. The world as we know it would not exist.

Would it really be that extensive though? You can make a case they'd stare at each other in bemusement; and it's not like merchants on the Silk Road will be versed in Stoicism. Hrmm. I suppose that depends on how much you think the Greeks influenced Indian philosophy.
 
I don't know if the high period Greeks were wealthy enough to make an extensive trade route with China worthwhile for the traders. However I'd imagine that there was considerable Chinese stuff in Persia that Greeks could access if they wanted.
 
Starleaf, if this is an interest of yours check out the Wiki article I just stumbled onto about the Incense Route. Wiki is handy for this sort of thing, a good place to find references and the like.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incense_route

This would be the ancient forerunner of the medieval Spice/Silk road.
 
Thanks Riain, but I'm not specifically interested in this area. It was just an idea that I wanted to know how likely it was. But thank you for shown kindness.
/Starleaf
 
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